gardens, I replaced it, putting five
grains of corn into each pit. During the remainder of this month,
we had heavy gales of wind from the south-west, which turned all
the wheat quite black, that was growing on the south side of
Mount George: but I did not apprehend that it was otherwise
injured than by being kept back. This gale was of longer
duration, and blew with greater force than any I had hitherto
observed.

On the 29th, Ann Coombs, a female convict, received fifty
lashes at the cart's tail, for defrauding Thomas Jones, of some
provisions: this punishment, however, did not deter her from
committing crimes of a similar nature; for the very next day she
was detected stealing two new check shirts from Francis Mew, a
private marine, and was punished with 100 lashes.

The weather during the month of September was variable; we had
some heavy gales of wind from the south-west and east-north-east,
but they were not of long duration.

Frequent notice has been taken of the destructive effects of
the grub-worm, and they were now as troublesome as ever. These
pernicious vermin are generated from the eggs of a fly, which are
left on the leaves of plants: here they come to life, and daily
gathering strength and vigour, they destroy the leaves; and
afterwards, falling on the ground, they cut off the roots and
stalks. The surgeon, who, with great perseverance and industry,
had got a very good garden, and every thing in it in great
forwardness, had all his plants and vegetables nearly destroyed
by the grub-worm, and most of the other gardens shared the same
fate. The mischief done at my garden in Arthur's Vale was not so
great, which I attributed to the quantity of cultivated ground
near it; and, probably, when more extensive pieces of ground come
to be cleared, the bad effects of the grub-worm will be in a
great measure prevented, but at present, these destructive
vermin, and the depredations of the convicts, rendered the
cultivation of gardens very discouraging to individuals.

The corporal of marines, who was a very industrious young man,
had cleared and planted a piece of ground, and by attention and
assiduity, had raised a quantity of vegetables, besides a very
fine crop of potatoes, which would have yielded him at least five
bushels; but, on the evening of the 5th, between sun-set and the
time of the watch being set, some villains dug up every one of
the potatoes, and destroyed a quantity of other vegetables; and
a