Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/288

 244 FOOD SUPPLIES UNDER GROSE. 1798 Geosb found, as Phillip had done, that one of the principal difficalties he had to contend with was the impossibility of intertnittent keeping up regular supplies of food. This was owing partly to the intermittent nature of the supplies received from England, and partly to the uncertainty and length of the voyage. During the two years comprehended in Grose's Lieutenant-Governorship the prospects were alternately bright and gloomy. On one occasion such a quantity of stores were on hand that a cargo of provisions offered by ^**7 ^' d *^® owner of a trading vessel, which arrived at Sydney on of famine, a voyagc of Speculation, was refused ; a year later the entire stock had been expended, and the stores closed a few hours before the arrival of a storeship from England, and there was actually nothing to save the people from starvation but the maize in the fields. At first Grose had no reason to feel anxiety. When Stoteojtoe Phillip left Sydney, on the 11th December, 1792, the stock departure ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^> ^^* ^^ *^® 24ith an American vessel, the Hope, arrived with a cargo of provisions, which was pur- chased for the use of the settlement ; on the 16th of the following month the transport Bellona entered the harbour Additional with further supplies; and on the 16th February, 1793, from ^ Grose reported that, although he did not feel justified in issuing a full ration, this was only a matter of precaution, for the stores contained '^ five months' flour and ten months* beef and pork, without including the wheat that is reaped or the Indian com we are about to gather.^'* At this time
 * Historical Becordi, vol. ii, p. 13.