yet too young to be able
to withstand such a succession of ill-fortune without its being felt, in
some degree, an inconvenience and expense to the mother country. Had the
settlers themselves in general been of a more industrious turn, they
would have been better prepared for such accidents; and it was much to be
lamented, that, in establishing them on the banks of the Hawkesbury, they
had not with more attention considered the manifest signs of the floods
to which the river appeared to the first discoverers to be liable, and
erected their dwellings upon the higher grounds; or that the inundations
which had lately happened had not occurred at an earlier period, when
there were but few settlers. These indeed had been such as formerly no
one had any conception of, and exceeded in horror and destruction any
thing that could have been imagined.

That the ground might with all possible expedition be prepared for wheat,
all descriptions of persons were called upon to give their assistance;
and there being at this, as at every other time, a number of idle persons
wandering about the colony, who refused to labour unless they were paid
exorbitant wages, these were again directed to be taken up, and, if found
to prefer living by extortion or robbery, to working at a reasonable
hire, to be treated as vagrants, and made to labour for the public.

During this month, the _Walker_ went to sea upon the fishery; and
the _Martha _snow went to Norfolk Island, with some articles for
sale, the property of her owners.

April.] On the first day of this month, the court of criminal judicature
was convened for the trial of several offenders. Robberies had of
late been very frequent, both on household property and live stock.
At this court, two men were found guilty of robbery, and one women,
Mary Graham, of forgery. Several were sentenced to receive corporal
punishment, and some were ordered to be transported to Norfolk Island.
The governor extended his Majesty's pardon to the woman and one of the
men, leaving the other to his fate, and the day was appointed for his
execution; but, the military officers soliciting in a body that the life
of this man should be spared, the governor consented. He however directed
that both the prisoners, being yet unacquainted with the pardon that was
to be granted them, should be taken to the place of execution with their
coffins, where the warrant for that execution should be read, and every
appearance observed