ies; for two of them had blackened their faces, and to the third
he was a stranger.

On its being represented to the governor, he gave information of the
mischief in the public orders; and at the same time called upon every man
who valued the safety of his person, and the security of his property, to
use the utmost vigilance in discovering and bringing to justice these
daring offenders, that the law might have an opportunity of showing its
ability to defend the property of every inhabitant of the colony, by the
punishment of those who dared to attack it. He also observed, as a
further inducement, that the inhabitants could not fail to see the danger
of suffering evils of this kind to pass unnoticed; as the most ignorant
must know, that every reduction in the quantity of wheat must be attended
with a reduction in the weekly ration; a circumstance by which every man,
whether on or off the public store, was affected. The Order concluded
with an offer of conditional freedom, and permission to become a settler,
to any person, who, being a convict, would come forward and give such
information as might serve to convict the offenders before a court of
criminal judicature.

Dogs had increased to such an extent as to occasion their becoming the
object of a public order, restricting the number kept by each person to
no more than were absolutely necessary for the protection of his house
and premises. Much mischief had been done by them among the hogs, sheep,
goats, and fowls of individuals.

There were at this time in the town of Sydney three schools for the
education of children; and this being the period of their breaking-up for
the Christmas holidays, the governor was gratified with the sight of 102
clean and decently dressed children, who came with their several masters
and mistresses, and in form paid their respects to his excellency, who
examined the progress of the elder scholars in writing, specimens of
which he kept for the purpose of comparing with those which they should
present to him on the following Christmas.

One moment's reflection on the vices that prevailed in the colony will be
sufficient to excite a wish, that some institution could have been
devised for separating the greater part of these (at present, innocent)
members of the community from their vicious parents, where they could
have been educated at the public expense, their propensities to evil
corrected, and that turn given to their attainments which s