Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/242

 204 PHILLIP 1791 of unofficerlike behaviour to the Governor. The first cliarge Parcbasiiig was not a light one ; traffic in convicts' rations had caused convk^.°™ serious trouble in the settlement. The men made a practice, as Phillip explains, of putting together their rations of flour, and obtaining in exchange spirits and tobacco. The terms were ten pounds of flour for a bottle of rum, and thirty pounds of flour for a pound of tobacco. Those who parted with their flour for spirits and tobacco were pinched with hunger. The full allowance of food was insufficient,* and convicts could not afford to give up a single ounce muck less the whole of their flour, which was the main part of the SSicwo* ration. The natural result followed — those convicts who had the practice, deprived themsclves of their ration of flour stole from the others and from the military. Robberies became frequent. The nature of the evil, and the measures that were taken to prevent it, may be seen from the stringent order issued on the 11th February, 1791,t in which, after pointing out that every individual was concerned in putting a stop to ''a practice which distresses the honest and industrious, whose gardens are robbed and provisions stolen by those who ^wwid sen their rations,^' a reward of thirty pounds of flour was offered for the discovery of any person who should " on any consideration whatever" purchase or receive provisions from a convict. Phillip very properly looked to the civil and military officers for assistance in carrying out this order, and if any one of them, instead of helping to maintain the regulation, took part in the traffic which had been prohibited, he was guilty of a serious breach of duty. Lieutenant Dawes was so accused. As the facts of the case are only partly revealed, the degree of Mb culpability cannot be accurately Lientenoit measured. According to his account, dated 6th November, expiaoation. 1791, if he offended at all, it was in breaking the letter, not the spirit, of the regulation. He admitted having purchased convicts were satisfied with the quantity of food they received, t Historical Becocday vol. i, pcurt 2, p. 450.
 * Phillip says that " etrerj man could eat his ration," and that few of the