ure was a moment of
sorrowful agitation: loved and honoured by all, he was attended
by a numerous train of civil and military officers, as well as a
long concourse of the grateful inhabitants, who, at this
distressing instant, marked in the most unequivocal manner the
sense they entertained of his public worth and his private
benignity.

On the secession of Governor Hunter, the government of the
settlement devolved to Governor King, who had arrived from
England in the Speedy, a few months previous to this time. Soon
after his accession to this dignity, a quantity of copper coin
was received from England and put into circulation, upon which
occasion the following table of specie was issued:--A guinea, one
pound two shillings, a johannes, four pounds; a half ditto, two
pounds; a ducat, nine shillings and sixpence; a gold mohur, one
pound seventeen shillings and sixpence; a pagoda, eight
shillings; a Spanish dollar, five shillings; a rupee, two
shillings and sixpence; a Dutch guilder, two shillings; an
English shilling, one shilling and one penny: a copper coin of
one ounce, two pence; a ditto of half an ounce, one penny; and a
ditto of a quarter of an ounce, a halfpenny. No sum exceeding
five pounds, in the copper coin, was to be considered as a legal
tender; and the exportation or importation of copper coin above
that amount, was prohibited under a penalty of thrice its
value.

The criminal addiction to the use of spirituous liquors had
become so rooted, and was productive of such evil consequences,
as to require some vigorous exertion to check its still further
increase. In the month of December, 1800, two vessels laden with
these destructive cargoes arrived in the harbour; but the
governor, with a spirit and prudence creditable to his resolution
and judgment, refused them permission to land the poisons, and
forced them to quit the settlement before any evil consequences
could ensue from their arrival. The variety of afflicting
casualties consequent upon the immoderate use of these pernicious
fluids, and their introduction of dreadful and fatal disorders,
were considerations sufficient to justify the governor's conduct
in this instance, to every rational mind.

On the 17th of January, 1801, the settlement was menaced with
destruction by the shock of an earthquake, which was felt
severely through the whole colony, but, providentially, produced
no injury. A slight concussion had been felt in the month of
June, 178