Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/267

 SETXLEHENT IN 1792. 225 but He contented Iiimself with directing attention to the weak ^^^ spot in the mildest terms : — [the convicts], and hope the sending out convicts and stores by ^ps employed in the service d the East India Gk>mpany ¥^ill answer the end proposed by Government ; but, sir, if I was to The vesBei give an <^inion, I think the people have been too much crowd«>d crowded, on board this ship."* Although the arriyal of these vessels relieved the colony from the fear of starvation^ the days of plenty had not yet set in. The full ration of meat was now issued, but^ instead The ration, of seven pounds of bread and one pound of flour, which formed part of the established nttion, the allowance was only two pounds of flour and five pounds of rioe. Without the latter article, which was obtained in large quantities from India, the people would have fared badly ; but it was a poor substitute for flour. With the fuU allowance* of flour, if the quality was good, everyone was satisfied ; when rice took the place of flour there was discontent. Unfortunately, the Kitty's cargo, particularly the floar,t was damaged by the bad weather she encountered, and it was f<9r this reason, probably, that so small a quantity was allowed in the ration, shoit At the beginning of December the allowance was increased flour*"*^^ to three pounds, and it stood at that for some time.^ the Soyal Admiml led to trouble in the settlement. Like most of the transports, she bronght out articles of private trade, and shops were opened at Sydnej and JParramatta. A license was also granted for the sale of porter. The result is thus described by Collins : — " Ifnder the cover of this, spirits found their way among the people, and much intoxication was the consequence. Seyeral of the settlers, breaking out from the restraint to which they had been subject, oon- dueted themselyes with the'greajtest impropriety, beatingtheirwiyes, destroying their stock, trampling on and injuring their crops in the ground, and destroying each other's property The indulgence which was intended 1^ the GoremoT for their bmefit was most shamefully abused ; and what he suffered them to purchase with a yiew to their future comfort, was retailed among themselyea at a scandalous profit ; seyeral of the settlers* houses being at this time literally nothing else but porter-houses, where rioting and drunkenness pravailed as long as the means remained.'*— -Collins, yoL i» pp. 240, 241. fib., p. 246. t " On the Ird of this month [Beoember], the G-oyemox^ as one of his liut acta in the settlement^ ozdeiBd one pound of fiova to be added to the YOL. II. — P
 * I have no doubt but that strict justice has been done them
 * Phillip to Dimdas, Historical Records, yol. i, part 2, p. 665. The aniTid of