Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/345

 ing the government. They strengthened his application for enlargement of the irregular force to fix a post at Port Phillip or elsewhere. Arrangements were made to equip Paterson, and to remove a part of the Norfolk Island establishment. Kiog wrote to Foveaox (Siird -June 1804) that the island settlers might be offered the ** choice of settling at Paterson*s or Hunter's Paver, from whence I have had the most advantageous accounts of the soil and situation." The settlers were unwilling to leave, and at a later date (May 1805) King wrote to Piper the commandant, that he had no intention to remove all the inhabitants. Those who wished to remain might do so; and the accounts given by Colonel Paterson of Port Dah^ymple were so encouraging that the settlers need not be alarmed lest the Hunter Biver settlement should be the only one available for them* A document has been preserved in which a Norfolk Island settler surrendered SO acres there to the com- mandant (7th Sept. 1805), in consideration of receiving 45 acres at Port Dalrymple. To provide animal food for the new settlements was an urgent need. Commander Kent sailed in 1803 in H.M.S- Baifhltt to the Eastern Islands for cattle. If he failed at the islands he was to proceed to Calcutta. Before he arrived, King had made a contract with the house of Campbell, to import young cows for the settlements at Van Diemen's Land. The price to be paid was £25 per head on landing. The master was ' **to despatch a boat on shore at Elephant Bay on King's Island^ where a ' letter in a bottle will be auapeuded from one of the rafters iu a conspicuous part of the largest shed or Iiouhg at the *^aid btiy, with directions (from King and from Campl>eU) a3 to what port in Bass's Straits or in Van Diemen's Land the cows are to be landed at, and to whom tlelivered, and in case any aecideot almiild prevent the letter from being found, ^' ' the master was to proceed to Sydney, As usual, the owners obtained permission to bring a certain quantity of spiiita, but it was stipulated that any excess over 5000 gallons should be forfeited, and that the price to the inhabitants should not exceed eight shillings a gallon, exclusive of duty. The precautions adopted to secure live stock were urgently needed for the new settlements.