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 such indemnification as the case may require. I hope and trust that your Excellency will authorize us to continue it until we are supplied with provisions, or, at any rate, that you will not forbid us." Phillip directed Ross to continue martial law while he thought it necessary. It remained in force until Aug., 1790, when a supply of food arrived from Sydney.

On the 22nd of March, at eight o'clock in the morning, so clear was the need of prompt action, all in the island were summoned to the lower flag-staff where the Union" was hoisted; the marines were drawn up in two lines, leaving a space in the centre, at the head of which was the Union. The colours of the detachment were then unfurled, the Sirius's crew drawn up on the right, and the convicts on the left, the officers being in the centre.

"The proclamation was then read, declaring that the island was to be governed by martial law until further orders; the Lt. Gov. next addressed the convicts, and after pointing out the situation of the settlement, he exhorted them to be honest, industrious, and obedient; this being concluded, the whole gave three cheers, and every person, beginning with the Lt.-Gov., passed under the Union flag, taking off their hats as they passed it in token of an oath to submit and be amenable to the martial law which had then been declared."

Surely a more impressive spectacle was seldom seen than this vowing of obedience by the law-abiding, and the lawless, brought face to face with famine. The mingled good and evil of our nature was shown on the same evening, when two convicts, who had volunteered to go to the wreck "to heave the livestock overboard," refused to return at night, and were fired at to make "them quit the wreck or put the lights out, but with no effect. On this John Arscot. a convict carpenter, offered to go off; and although it was quite dark, and the surf ran very high, yet he got on board. and obliged the other two convicts to quit the wreck by the hawser. The two had set fire to the wreck, but Arscot "happily extinguished the flames."

"Journals of King: in Hunter's Historical Journal. Stockdale. London, 1793

For this daring service Ross asked Phillip to grant a pardon to Arscot. Phillip complied. In 1791 Phillip reported that Arscot had gone to Calcutta, and "it now appears that his term of transportation had expired prior to his emancipation."