Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/320

 S72 THE^ TEAMIC l^fW the GoTGrmnent dtores as much as they chose, at prime cost. The o£Scers were also allowed to introduce from India and the Cape shipments of spirits ordered specially by them. It soon became apparent that the liquor was finding its way among the settlers and convicts. The former neglected their S?monS?° farms and squandered their means ; the latter sold their &)od communit • ^^^ drink, and robbed the settlers' gardens to make up for the loss of their rations. Among both classes gambling was common. The practice of buying food from the convicts with spirits was not unknown in Phillip's time, but stringent regulations were made with the object of putting a stop to it.* These regulations were in force in Grrose's time, but it seems to have been difficult, if not impossible, to make them efPective.t A quantity of spirits having been found A aeizure. in the couvicts^ huts, it was seized and given to the watchmen and the guard who made the discovery, ^^ as a stimulus to future vigilance." But when there were so many eager to buy, and others willing to sell, the most stringent regulations were of little avail. Collins says '^ the passion for liquor operated like a mania." The spirits obtainable at the time were of very bad quality; it seems to have been a doubtful Rum from point which was the worse — the rum brought from America, or the brandy received from the Cape. The fondness of tihe convicts for the "pernicious American spirit," the same authority teUs us, was " incredible"; they would do anything to obtain it, and " while spirits were to be had those who did any extra labour refused to be paid in money, or any other article than spirits." t " The Lieutenant-Governor having directed the Conunisniy to dispow of the spirits purchased from the American to the military and civil officers of the colony, in which were included the superintendents, and some othen in that line, it was found t))at it had been purcnafled by many individuals of the latter description with the particular view of retailing it among the convicts. He, therefore^ found it necessai^ to declare in public orders ' that it was his intention to make frequent inquiries on the subject ; and it might be relied upon that, if it ever appeared that a convict -was possessed of any of fbe liquor so supplied by the Commissary, the conduct of those who had thought proper to abuse what was designed as an aocommodation to the officers of the garrison -would not be passed over mmoticed.' "*— Collins, vol. i, p. 259.
 * Ante, p. 204.