or Ara-ba-noo was seized
with the small-pox, and although every possible means for his
recovery were used, he lived only till the crisis of the disease.
Every person in the settlement was much concerned for the loss of
this man.

I was exceedingly concerned on hearing of the death of Captain
Shea, of the marines, which happened while we were absent; his
disorder was a general decay, which I think must have taken place
very suddenly, for he was apparently strong and healthy when the
Sirius sailed from Port Jackson.

Several people had been lost in the woods during our absence,
and had either been killed by the natives, or perished there.

Another melancholy piece of information which we received on
our arrival, was, that six marines had been tried by a criminal
court, and found guilty of robbing the public stores: they were
sentenced to death, and executed accordingly. It appeared upon
the trial of these infatuated men, that they had carried on this
iniquitous, (and I may add from our situation) dangerous practice
to the settlement at large, for several months; and all
originally occasioned by some unfortunate connections they had
made with women convicts.

The settlement had been, during our absence, remarkably
healthy.

Before the Sirius sailed from Port Jackson, the governor had
determined to send a detachment of the marines, with a
considerable number of convicts, for the purpose of clearing as
much as might be necessary, and preparing a tract of land at the
head of this harbour, (which place I have already mentioned) in
order to sow corn. When we returned from our voyage, I went up to
see what progress was made at this farm, which had been named
Rose Hill: it certainly very much exceeded my expectations; the
quantity of ground prepared for receiving grain at the proper
time, was considerable; a number of huts were built, the gardens
were in tolerable appearance, and there was altogether every
prospect, in due time, of a very extensive farm; and we knew that
if there were people enough to labour, it might be carried at
least twenty miles to the westward, and every foot of the ground
apparently as good as that on which they were now at work; but we
found here, that although the land was tolerable, there would be
great, and I think an insurmountable difficulty, in attempting an
extensive farm, chiefly for want of water.

At Rose Hill, there is in dry seasons but very little water,
and that by no means good;