impracticable. Three or four
instances of persons who perished from want have been related to me. One
only, however, fell within my own observation. I was passing the provision
store, when a man, with a wild haggard countenance, who had just received
his daily pittance to carry home, came out. His faltering gait, and eager
devouring eye, led me to watch him, and he had not proceeded ten steps
before he fell. I ordered him to be carried to the hospital, where, when
he arrived, he was found dead. On opening the body, the cause of death was
pronounced to be inanition.]

Farther to contribute to the detection of villainy, a proclamation,
offering a reward of sixty pounds of flour, more tempting than the ore of
Peru or Potosi, was promised to any one who should apprehend, and bring to
justice, a robber of garden ground.

Our friend Baneelon, during this season of scarcity, was as well taken care
of as our desperate circumstances would allow. We knew not how to keep
him, and yet were unwilling to part with him. Had he penetrated our state,
perhaps he might have given his countrymen such a description of our
diminished numbers, and diminished strength, as would have emboldened
them to become more troublesome. Every expedient was used to keep him in
ignorance. His allowance was regularly received by the governor's servant,
like that of any other person, but the ration of a week was insufficient
to have kept him for a day. The deficiency was supplied by fish whenever
it could be procured, and a little Indian corn, which had been reserved
was ground and appropriated to his use. In spite of all these aids, want of
food has been known to make him furious and often melancholy.

There is reason to believe that he had long meditated his escape, which he
effected in the night of the 3rd instant. About two o'clock in the morning,
he pretended illness, and awaking the servant who lay in the room with him,
begged to go down stairs. The other attended him without suspicion of his
design; and Baneelon no sooner found himself in a backyard, than he nimbly
leaped over a slight paling, and bade us adieu.

The following public order was issued within the date of this chapter, and
is too pleasing a proof that universal depravity did not prevail among the
convicts, to be omitted.

The governor, in consequence of the unremitted good behaviour and
meritorious conduct of John Irving, is pleased to remit the remainder of
the term for which he