Page:New history of Botanybay (sic) and Port Jackson.pdf/23

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themselves. They are so ignorant of agriculture, that it seems most probable they do not even know the use of corn; and therefore, perhaps, more from ignorance than malice, set sure to that which the Colonists had raised for their own use. To avoid such disagreeable incidents, a new Settlement was begun on, a small uninhabited island. named Norfolk island, lying in South Latitude at the distance of 1200 miles from New Holland. The party went out, in a ship called the Supply, to form this Settlement, consisted only of 26 persons, who took possession on the 14th of Feb 1789. This Settlement was found so eligible, that, on October, 1789, another party was sent thither: so that the new Colony, at the time the first advices were received consisted of 44 men, and 16 women, who being supplied with eighteen months provisions, will probably be able to cultivate the soil in such a manner, as to enable them to form a granary; which will put those who are settled on New Holland entirely out of danger from their barbarous neighbours.


In November the Supply sailed for Norfolk island with some Convicts, and returned in six weeks. All the people in that island were well; and their crops, after all they had suffered from rats, birds, and a worm, which had done them considerable damage, so good, that they had grain sufficient for six months, (and bread for every one upon the island,) reserving sufficient for their next year's crop.