Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/193

 OHf THE SOIL. in • It was some years before free settlers from England ^'•^ were obtained^ and in the meanwhile the difficnlty had to be met in the best way possible. If the Grovernor was dis- satisfied; so were the convicts whose sentences had expired. They stood in a peculiar position. If they chose to remain Position of in the colony as settlers, they were well treated; they received free grants of land and support from the Grovern- ment for a sufficient length of time to enable them to become independent ; but if they refused these terms, and made up their minds to leave the settlement, they received no aid whatever. Unless they had money, or were able to give services in exchange for a passage, they were helpless. They must remain in the colony, and work either on their own account or for the Government, under conditions similar to those which had proved so distasteful to them during their time of compulsory servitude. If they declined to work,8te»i, work, they had no alternative but to steal or starve. Phillip does not state at what time the settlers who fol- lowed Euse were placed on the land, but the return of P>o°eer 5th November, 1791, shows that the majority of those who accepted the conditions* offered by Government had taken possession of their holdings in the months of July and August, 1791. Three became settlers as early as 30th March, while ten received grants at Norfolk Island on the 5th April. According to Collins, the greater number of ex-convicts were settled in the month of August. Twelve were placed on land • The conditions were as follows : — To marines and seamen : — -with a proportion of grain and a proper assortment of such tools and imple- ments of husbandly as may be necessary for clearing and oultitating the land, SB well as witn such a proportion of hogs and poultry as may be neces- sary and can be spared from the general stock of the settlement, not to be less than two breeding sows, one cock and six hens, to hare half an acre of land cleared of timber, and the necessary assistance giyen for building a but sufScient to shelter the settler from the weather and secure his property." To convicts whose sentences had expired : — to receive two sow pigs, with the necessary implements of husbandry and grain for sowing the ground the first year." Historical Becords, vol. i, pairt 2, p. 540». VOL. II. — L
 * To be clothed and victualled for eighteen months ; to he supplied
 * ' To be supported and clothed from the public store for eighteen months,