us liquors, and was
not unwilling to participate wherever he was welcome as a guest. On what
principle he was selected to conduct the affairs of a remote and
reformatory settlement, it would be useless to conjecture. As a marine,
he had been present in many important actions; among the rest, at the
battle of Trafalgar. His intended departure from England he concealed
from his family, by whom it was discovered accidentally: they reached
the vessel by extraordinary exertions, and in neglect of all the usual
preparations for the voyage. The ship which conveyed his luggage was
taken by the Americans, during the war--for him a fortunate loss:
indemnified by the largest grant ever conferred in this island (3,000
acres); for it was not pretended that the captors could have made an
extensive prize.

Mrs. Davey, a lady of a meek and uncomplaining spirit, is spoken of with
respect, and the governor himself with kindness; for under a rough
exterior was concealed a generous disposition.

During Davey's government, two hundred female prisoners were brought
down from Sydney, in the brig _Kangaroo_: proclamation was made, and the
settlers were invited to receive them. There was little delicacy of
choice: they landed, and vanished; and some carried into the bush,
changed their destination before they reached their homes. Yet such is
the power of social affections, several of these unions yielded all the
ordinary consolations of domestic life!

The conveniences of civilisation were not wholly neglected. The ports
were opened for general commerce (June, 1813): houses of trade were
established, and Messrs. Kemp and Gatehouse, Messrs. E. Lord and J. H.
Reibey, supplied the colony with English goods: the most necessary
articles had often been wanting. The settlers purchased even the
clothing of the prisoners, as preferable to the skins of animals by
which they were often clad.

The resources of the colony were developed: Mr. Birch, an enterprising
merchant, fitted out a vessel to survey the western coasts (1816), and
Captain Kelly discovered Macquarie Harbour and Port Davey: Captain
Florence found a new species of pine, very highly valued by artificers.
Mr. Birch was rewarded with one year's monopoly of the trade he had
opened.

The whale fishery was considerably enlarged: corn was exported; the
plough introduced, and gradually superseded the hoe; a mill erected; and
(February, 1817) the foundation of St. David's Church was laid. Pass