34 THE FAMINE OF 1789-90. 1790 The meat, at the rate then issued, would last until 26th August; the rice and pease, until the 13th September; and the flour and biscuit^ until the 19th December. There was another resource, but of so slight a character that Phillip would hardly have deemed it worthy of notice The under different circumstances. The ffrain obtained from seed-whoat . fifivenm) the harvest in December, 1789, had been set apart for seed, but as it was found impossible, owing to the debility of the workers, to prepare enough ground for all that had been gathered, there was a surplus of about one hundred and fifty bushels, which was to be served to the people when the rice had been expended. A hundred and fifty bushels would not have gone far among five hundred people, but Phillip attached importance to this little stock of grain, and he was encouraged by the possession of it to tell Nepean that he should be able to "make the provisions last until the Supply returns, although no ship from England should arrive."* rSunS^^^ The Supply did not return from Batavia until the 18th October, and then she brought only eight months' provisions for her own people ; the Waaksamheyd, the Dutch snow ^^reship. liired at Batavia, and freighted with stores for the settle- ment, did not enter Sydney Cove until the 17th December, more than five months after the arrival of the Lady Juliana had been hailed by the starving people with raptures of joy and gratitude. Phillip seems to have been aware that his hopeful view of the position was not shared by many at Sydney Cove, for he remarked at the close of his letter to Nepean : — Unfavoar- << J have thought it necessary to be thus particular as to the real state of the provisions in the settlement, as I think it probable that report may make our situation more unpleasant than it really is." The actual situation was certainly '^ unpleasant" enough ; and Phillip was right in supposing that report would repre- sent it as more serious than it was described in his optimistic despatches.
- Historical Becords, toI. i, part 2, p. 831.
from Batavia.
