ly
winds did not begin until the 10th of April: from which I
conclude that southerly and westerly winds are not frequent in
the summer; especially as we had not one gale from that quarter
during the last summer.

Three acres of wheat were sown in Arthur's vale on the 16th,
and by the 21st eight acres of wheat were up, and had a promising
appearance.

As there was a projection of the reef where boats used to
land, which, if taken away, would greatly lessen the danger of
landing; I set six men to work about removing it on the 22d, with
orders to continue at the employment every tide until it was
finished.

Notwithstanding every convict had suffered exemplary
punishment for their crimes, whenever they were detected; yet
this was not sufficient to keep the free people in proper
subordination; for on the 26th, John Williams, a marine, quitted
his guard, and raised a quarrel in a convict's house; the
consequence of which was a battle between himself and another
marine: on which, I assembled the marines and all the other free
people under arms, under the flag-staff, on which the colours
were hoisted; and I punished him with twenty-four lashes, for
quitting his post, and fighting with his comrade.

I observed on the 7th of May, that all the wheat which
hitherto had a very fine appearance, was blighted in many places,
and particularly where it was thinnest sown: on examining it, I
found it entirely covered with a small black caterpillar, which
had eat off the stems within an inch of the ground: these
destructive vermin kept on the wheat during the whole month; they
began on the lower part of the eight acres that were sown in
Arthur's Vale, and proceeded regularly through it, destroying
every blade. We tried various methods to extirpate them, such as
rolling the wheat with a heavy roller, and beating it with
turf-beaters, in order to kill them, but with little effect; for
in an hour's time they were as numerous as ever, and daily
increased in size. I found they were bred from a small moth, vast
numbers of which infested the air in the mornings and evenings:
the number of these caterpillars on the wheat was incredible; and
they were so thick in the gardens that we swept them in heaps:
the adjoining rivulet was also covered with them. The whole wheat
of eight acres (which was a foot high when these pernicious
vermin first attacked it) was eat close to the ground by the
28th, and three acres of it never grew afterwards. Hav