Page:An account of the English colony in New South Wales.djvu/74

 ing into and plundering a houe; for which he uffered death. Before he was turned off he confeed that he had committed everal thefts, to which he had been induced by bad connections, and pointed out two women who had received part of the property for the acquiition of which he was then about to pay o dear a price. Thee women were immediately apprehended, and one of them made a public example of, in the hope of deterring others from offending in the like manner. The convicts being all aembled for muter, he was directed to tand forward; and her head having been previouly deprived of its natural covering, he was clothed with a canvas frock, on which was painted, in large characters R.S.G. (Receiver of Stolen Goods,) and threatened with punihment if ever he was een without it. This, was done in the idea that hame might operate, at leat with the female part of the prioners, to the prevention of crimes; but a great number of both exes had too long been acquainted with each other in cenes of digrace, for this kind of punihment to work much reformation among them. This, however, mut be undertood to be poken only of the lowet clas of thee people, among whom the commiion of offences was chiefly found to exit; for there were convicts of both exes who were never known to aociate with the common herd, and whoe conduct was marked by attention to their labour, and obedience to the orders which they received.

On the 11th, the Governor et off with a mall party in boats, to examine the different branches of Botany Bay, and, after an excurion of five days, returned, well atisfied that no part of that extenive bay was adapted to the purpoe of a ettlement? thus fully confirming the reports which he had received from others, and the opinion that he had himelf formed.

A convict having been found dead in the woods, an enquiry into the caue of his death was made; when it appeared from the evidence of the urgeon who opened him, and of the people who lived with the deceaed, that he died through want of nourihment. It eemed that he had not for more than a week pat eaten his allowance of pro-