the spot
on which he hung; which, until this time, had ever been with them a
favourite place of resort.

The _Prince of Wales_, having been cleared of her cargo, sailed on
the 23rd for China. Previous to her departure, the master having
complained of the conduct of his ship's company, the governor appointed a
day for their appearing before him; when the differences which subsisted
between them were inquired into by his excellency, and settled to the
satisfaction of all parties.

The public works in which the people at Sydney had been employed during
this month, consisted in receiving the cargoes of the two victuallers,
and in clearing out the tanks or reservoirs for water, which had become a
necessary work, as they never had been emptied or cleansed since they
were first cut and filled in the year 1792.*

[* The principal tank contained about 7996 gallons of water.
Vide Vol I, Chapter XVII. "The works during this month . . ."]

December.] On the 6th of December the _Sylph_, having been
discharged from government employ, proceeded on her voyage to China. On
searching her, two male convicts were found concealed, who were brought
on shore, and punished for their attempt to escape from the place of
their transportation.

The ill success with which these attempts were attended might have been
expected to deter others from risking the certain punishment which
followed their being detected; but, as some were known to have eluded the
strictest search, every one who could find a friend among the seamen to
conceal him, hoped that he might prove the fortunate one who should
escape. Although they every day saw that no obstacle was thrown in the
way of the convict who had got through the period of his transportation
with credit and a good character, but that he was suffered to depart with
the master of any ship who would receive him, and a certificate given to
him of his being a free man; yet, thoughtless, and dissatisfied with
their present situation, be it what it might, they preferred encountering
the hazard of being discovered and punished, or, even if they reached
another country, the discredit with which they must appear, if it should
be known that they were convicts from 'Botany Bay,' to waiting with
patience until they could be dismissed from the colony with the
reputation of having deserved the state of freedom at which they had
arrived.

On the 16th of the month, a general muster of all descriptions of
persons too