issued out in lieu of salt provisions, at the rate of six
pounds of fish for one pound of beef. The boats grapnel was left
in the road, and being hooked in the rocks, we never could clear
it.

This ample supply of fish was a most fortunate event; yet they
could not be depended on as a constant resource; for sometimes it
would happen, that a boat could not go without the reef for a
fortnight together, on account of the very violent surf; but when
a boat could be sent out, there was no danger of catching a vast
quantity.

On the 10th, I was obliged to inflict a punishment of forty
lashes on one of the convicts, for making use of very threatening
and seditious language. I had received orders from Governor
Phillip, to make a saving of the salt provisions, whenever fish
or turtle could be obtained, in order that they might last as
long as possible: the putting this order in execution when the
turtle were caught, produced murmuring; but, when the fish was
issued on the 9th, the convict who was punished, said, "the
people (meaning those in the settlement) were fools for suffering
their salt provisions to be stopped," and "that the convicts
would soon be the strongest, and then it would be seen who were
masters." As I thought this language deserved punishment, I
assembled the people, and pointed out to them, that, independent
of the orders I had received, I saw the greatest necessity for
making every possible saving of the provisions: I represented to
them that misfortunes might happen to vessels, provisions might
get spoiled, and many other accidents might happen, which would
render it necessary for us to go to a short allowance; and, that
the greater quantity of provisions which could be saved would be
so much the better for the whole settlement: I concluded with
assuring them, that I should invariably attend to my orders, and
put them in execution; and that a very severe punishment would be
inflicted on any who presumed to excite sedition, or behaved
improperly on that, or any other pretext.

On our first landing, we found a great number of pigeons,
which were so tame, that we knocked them down with sticks; but
latterly they quitted the low boughs, and generally harboured
about the tops of the pines: when plucked and drawn, they weighed
from three-quarters, to one pound each. The parrots are numerous,
and the ugliest bird of the kind I ever heard of; this, added to
the harshness of their note, makes them a very disagre