THE FAIONE OF 1789-^90. 19 tibAnge had not been made the state of the settlement would ^^^89^ have been deplorable. Phillip makes no reference in his despatches to this reckless condnct on the part of the con- victs^ which would hare caused a less sanguine man to ^^^ despair of ever doing any good work with such wretched ^p*'*' material^ nor does Collins say that the Governor exhibited the anger and mortification which he might have been ex- pected to feel. But Phillip^ no doubt, had the circumstance in his mind when he assured Nepean, writing to him soon after the reduction of the ration, that although the people would not starve, seven-eighths of the colony deserves Dothing better/'* Improvidence even less excusable was displayed not long afterwards by the convicts in killing the greater part of the live stock with which they had been entrusted.f Up to this time (1st November, 1789) the men employed ^SSSJS^ in cultivating the land had not suffered from short allowance of food, but there were other circumstances which militated against the success of Phillip's plans. The convicts were not only unused to field labour, they were also incorrigibly idle. The possibility of famine was regarded by them as too remote a contingency to necessitate a voluntary performance of their tasks ; and Phillip, when the military refused to " interfere with the convicts," had only one manj he could trust with the duty of superintending those employed in Oniy one clearing and cultivating the land. Secognising how hope- less it was to expect to make much headway against the natural indolence of the convicts, unless proper people were sent out as superintendents, Phillip repeatedly urged upon the authorities in England the necessity of sending out free men for this purpose, and warned the Secretary of State that unless this was done the convicts " would remain for
- Historical Records, yoI. i, part 2, p. 880.
t Port, p. 26. • t H. E. Dodd, who came out as Phillip*! leryimt.— Sstorical Becords^ ▼ol i, part 2j pp. 296 and 470 ; vol. ii, p. 440.
