Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/449

 SIRIUS ORDEBED TO THE CAPE. 335 barley and many seeds had rotted in the ground, haying been 1788 heated in the passage, and some much injured by the weevil ; all ss Sept the barley and wheat, likewise, which had been put on board the Supply at the Gape, were destroyed by the weevil. The ground was therefore necessarily sown a second time with the seed which I had saved for the next year, in case the crops in the ground met with 8eed spoiled any accident. The wheat sent to Norfolk Island had likewise voyage, failed, and there did not remain seed to sow one acre. I could not be certain that the ships which are expected would bring any quantity of grain, or if put on board them, that they would pre- Bad serve it good by a proper attention to the stowage, to the want of ""^^^ which I impute our present loss. The colony not being in a state to support any considerable quantity of live stock, many being under the necessity at present Live stook of frequently killing a part of what they have for want of food to S2nf J?' support them, I should be obliged to kill what the Sinus might ''^***^ procure, and which could not be expected to exceed ten or fourteen days' provision for the settlement. And we now have not more than a year's bread in store, having been obliged to furnish the Sirius and the Supply with provisiona On these considerations, but more immediately from the fear of not having grain to put into the ground next year, when we shall have a more considerable quantity of ground to sow, I have thought it necessary to order the Sirius to go to the Cape of Good Hope in order to procure sirias sent grain, and at the same time what quantity of flour and provisions ^ ^^ ^^' she can receive. Captain Hunter is likewise ordered to purchase what necessaries the surgeon of the hospital demands for six months, no necessaries Hoepitaine- of any kind, according to his letter which is enclosed, having been sent out. Fifteen pipes of wine were purchased at Rio de Janeiro, which were all that could be procured, and I presume, as thirty pipes were ordered, the remainder will be sent out by any ship that may stop at Teneriffe. I have only ordered a sufficient quantity of necessaries to be purchased for that time, as a demand has been made in my first letter to your lordship. The cellar for a Govern- receiving the spirits will be finished, and the Fishbum store-ship ™*°' ^^^' cleared and ready to sail, by the time the Golden Grove returns from Norfolk Island, when both ships shall be immediately ordered to England. Digitized by Google