such indemnilicatioM as the case may require. I hope and trust that your Excellency will authorize us to continue it until we are supplied with proviBionB* or, at any rate, that you will not forbid iis." Philhp directed Eoss to continue martial law while he thought it necessary. It remained in force until Aug., 1790, when a supply of food arrived from Sydney. On the 22nd of March, at eight o'clock in the morning, so clear was the need of prompt action, all in the island were summoned to the lower flag-staff where the Union*^ was hoisted; the marines were drawn up in two lines, leaving a space in the centre, at the head of which was the Union- The colours of the detachment were then unfurled, the Sirius*s crew drawn np on the right, and the convicts on the left, the officers being in the centre. "The proclamatiaD was tbeu read, tleclaiing that the island was to be governed by martial law iiTitil further orders; the Lt-Gov. next ad- dressed the convicts, and after poitiLiiig out the situation of the settle- men t^ heexbort«d them to be honest, industrioiia, and obodiont ; this l>ein^ concluded, the whole gave three cheere, and every person, beginnLng with the LL-Uov», passed nnder the Union flag, taking off their hats as they passed it in token of an oath to submit and tie amenable to ihv martial law whieh had then been dDclared." Surely a more impreBsive spectacle was Reldom seen than this vowmg of ohedience hy the law-ahiding, and the law- less, brought face to face with famine. The mingled good and e%'il of our nature was sliown on the same evening, when two convicts, who had volunteered to go to the wreck
- to heave the livestock overheard," refused to return at
night, and were fired at to make ** them quit the wreck or put the iiglits out, but with no effect. On this John Arscot, a convict t*arpeiiter, oflered to go off; and although it was quite dark, and the surf ran very high, yet he got on board, and obliged the other two convicts to quit the wreck by the hawser/' The two had set fire to the wreck, but Arscot '* happily extinguished the flames." I
- ' Journals of King : in Htmter^a Hiatorical JourtiaL Stockdale, Loii-
don, 1793
- ' For this daring service Ross aaked Phillip to grant a pardou to
Aracot, Phillip complied. In 1791 Phillip reported that Arscot Imd gone to Calcutta, and *Mfc now appears that his term of transportation had ejcpirtid prior to km tfnianuipation."
