which coDipelletl him to apply for leave of absence. In Jiilj, Hunter took the respooaihility of allowmg him to leave without waiting for permission from England. In process of time he was comforted hy a despateli in which the Duke wrote to Hunter — " I am much eoncerned at Lfc. -Governor Kuig's alarming mdispoyition, which I liope will be but temporary, as I have the greatest reason to be satisfied with the propriety of that officer's conduct." I In October 179G» after more tban eight years' service, in| company with H.M.S. Relianre and the Snpphf, King sailed i from Norfolk Island in the Bntarifiut, on board of which was Colhns (the historian and Judge-Advocate of New South Wales)* He reached Liverpool 0th May 1797, was con- sulted by the government, and had the pleasure of seeing his friend Phillip highly esteemed. His summary of the | condition of the island was in some respects unsatisfactory. The discouragement of agriculture by Grose's dishonour of Corn Bills in 17 9 J: had borne bitter fruit. Not more than a fifth of til 6 settlers* land was under crop, and much that had formerly been tilled was overgrown with weeds! in 1796. But the increase of li%'e stock had been gi'eat, ' There were nearly 5000 pigs in the island, to the breeding of which many disappointed farmers had devoted them- selves. MaiiSB was still grown, partly to feed live stock. There were two schools in the islajid, besides an orphan school. There was a water-mill, and there were two private wind-mills. ( Grose, although he taxed his faculties by no exercise of judgment, was not so enamoured of his position as to desire to prolong his tenure of office. He hailed the welcome intelligence*' of Hunter's ap^pointment. In May 1794 he complained of affliction from ** old wounds/' and sought permission to go to England for advice. In December he sailed thither, and Captain W. Paterson, as senior officer of the New South Wales Corps, became Lt. -Governor. It was - then known that Captain Hunter was to he the new' Governor, and even if Paterson had disap]n*oved of the disorders which were rife, and in w^hieh his brotber officers were sometimes actors, it could hardly be expected that he | would undertake the invidious office of reformer of abuses. The period which elapsed between the departure of Phillip
