Yet, with no greater assistance than this, the lands thus slovenly
prepared have been known to yield abundant crops.
On the 11th arrived the _Mercury_, an American brig, from Manilla,
bound to the NW coast of America. Being extremely weak and leaky, the
master put in here to refit, which he requested he might be allowed to
do. He brought no other news than the detention of several English ships
at Manilla, which seemed strongly to indicate the approach of hostilities
between the two nations, the effect, no doubt, of French fraternity with
the Spaniards.
The infant part of the settlement having at this period become very
numerous, with a view to save them, if possible, from that ruin in which
the infamous examples of their abandoned parents were but too likely to
plunge them, the clergyman, the Reverend Mr. Johnson, began to examine
them publicly every Sunday in their catechism, and other points of
religious duty, at the conclusion of the afternoon service. Some building
that might serve as a school whereto children at a certain age might be
removed from their parents, and receive education, was now become
absolutely necessary; but many other works equally necessary were still
in hand; and the labourers employed to erect them were comparatively so
inefficient, that it was impossible to think of any other work until they
were completed, though both the clergymen offered their services to
superintend the erection of a building for this purpose.
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