Page:New history of Botanybay (sic) and Port Jackson.pdf/16

 a blockaded town. The little live stock, which at so much expense and with so many difficulties had been brought on shore, prudence forbade the use of; and fish, which, for a short time, had been tolerably plenty, were now scarce, and had it not been for a stray Kanguroo, which now and then came in the way, the people would, in general. have been strangers to the taste of fresh food. No wonder then that the scurvy began its usual ravages, and extended its baneful influence through all descriptions of persons. particularly as the vegetables productions of the country neither abound, nor are in the removal of this disease. Many other calamitous circumstances combined to aggravate their distress; and, amongst others, the whole stock of black cattle, consisting of five cows and a bull, had strayed into the woods, and, notwithstanding the most diligent search, could not be found. But, at length, they were happily relieved by the arrival of the fleet from England with ample supplies; and from the last account, transmitted since that time, it appears that the produce of the country being more abundant, in consequence of a better knowledge being obtained of its resources, and the fisheries proving more successful, they are now in a more comfortable situation; and their future prospects are more promising, as is evident from the last accounts, which were conveyed by Governor Philip to Lord Sydney, who caused them to be laid before the House of Commons; and which we shall here transcribe; as they tend to shew the present state of the colony, and will, no doubt, prove acceptable to our readers.