a complete account of the settlement-第14章

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　a　wound　of　many　inches　long。　　The　man　was　observed　to　keep　his　eye　steadily　fixed　on　the　lance　until　it　struck　its　object；　when　he　directly　dashed　into　the　woods　and　was　seen　no　more。

＇*His　excellency　described　the　shock　to　me　as　similar　to　a　violent　blow；　with　such　energy　was　the　weapon　thrown。＇


Instant　confusion　on　both　sides　took　place。　　Baneelon　and　Colbee　disappeared　and　several　spears　were　thrown　from　different　quarters；　though　without　effect。　Our　party　retreated　as　fast　as　they　could；　calling　to　those　who　were　left　in　the　boat；　to　hasten　up　with　firearms。　　A　situation　more　distressing　than　that　of　the　governor；　during　the　time　that　this　lasted；　cannot　readily　be　conceived：　　the　pole　of　the　spear；　not　less　than　ten　feet　in　length；　sticking　out　before　him；　and　impeding　his　flight；　the　butt　frequently　striking　the　ground；　and　lacerating　the　wound。　　In　vain　did　Mr。　Waterhouse　try　to　break　it；　and　the　barb；　which　appeared　on　the　other　side；　forbade　extraction；　until　that　could　be　performed。　　At　length　it　was　broken；　and　his　excellency　reached　the　boat；　by　which　time　the　seamen　with　the　muskets　had　got　up；　and　were　endeavouring　to　fire　them；　but　one　only　would　go　off；　and　there　is　no　room　to　believe　that　it　was　attended　with　any　execution。

When　the　governor　got　home；　the　wound　was　examined。　　It　had　bled　a　good　deal　in　the　boat；　and　it　was　doubtful　whether　the　subclavian　artery　might　not　be　divided。　　On　moving　the　spear；　it　was　found；　however；　that　it　might　be　safely　extracted；　which　was　accordingly　performed。

Apprehension　for　the　safety　of　the　party　who　had　gone　to　Broken　Bay；　now　took　place。　　Lieutenant　Long；　with　a　detachment　of　marines；　was　immediately　sent　to　escort　them　back；　lest　any　ambush　might　be　laid　by　the　natives　to　cut　them　off。　　When　Mr。　Long　reached　Manly　Cove；　the　sun　had　set；　however；　he　pursued　his　way　in　the　dark；　scrambling　over　rocks　and　thickets；　as　well　as　he　could；　until　two　o'clock　on　the　following　morning；　when　he　overtook　them　at　a　place　where　they　had　halted　to　sleep；　about　half…way　between　the　two　harbours。

At　day…break　they　all　returned；　and　were　surprised　to　find　tracks　in　the　sand　of　the　feet　of　the　Indians；　almost　the　whole　way　from　the　place　where　they　had　slept　to　the　Cove。　　By　this　it　should　seem　as　if　these　last　had　secretly　followed　them；　probably　with　hostile　intentions　but；　on　discovering　their　strength；　and　that　they　were　on　their　guard；　had　abandoned　their　design。

On　reaching　Manly　Cove；　three　Indians　were　observed　standing　on　a　rock；　with　whom　they　entered　into　conversation。　　The　Indians　informed　them；　that　the　man　who　had　wounded　the　governor　belonged　to　a　tribe　residing　at　Broken　Bay；　and　they　seemed　highly　to　condemn　what　he　had　done。　Our　gentlemen　asked　them　for　a　spear；　which　they　immediately　gave。　The　boat's　crew　said　that　Baneelon　and　Colbee　had　just　departed；　after　a　friendly　intercourse。　　Like　the　others；　they　had　pretended　highly　to　disapprove　the　conduct　of　the　man　who　had　thrown　the　spear；　vowing　to　execute　vengeance　upon　him。

From　this　time；　until　the　14th；　no　communication　passed　between　the　natives　and　us。　　On　that　day；　the　chaplain　and　lieutenant　Dawes；　having　Abaroo　with　them　in　a　boat；　learned　from　two　Indians　that　Wileemarin　was　the　name　of　the　person　who　had　wounded　the　governor。　　These　two　people　inquired　kindly　how　his　excellency　did；　and　seemed　pleased　to　hear　that　he　was　likely　to　recover。　　They　said　that　they　were　inhabitants　of　Rose　Hill；　and　expressed　great　dissatisfaction　at　the　number　of　white　men　who　had　settled　in　their　former　territories。　　In　consequence　of　which　declaration；　the　detachment　at　that　post　was　reinforced　on　the　following　day。

A　hazardous　enterprise　（but　when　liberty　is　the　stake；　what　enterprise　is　too　hazardous　for　its　attainment！）　was　undertaken　in　this　month　by　five　convicts　at　Rose　Hill；　who；　in　the　night；　seized　a　small　punt　there；　and　proceeded　in　her　to　the　South　Head；　whence　they　seized　and　carried　off　a　boat；　appropriated　to　the　use　of　the　lookout　house；　and　put　to　sea　in　her；　doubtless　with　a　view　of　reaching　any　port　they　could　arrive　at；　and　asserting　their　freedom。　　They　had　all　come　out　in　the　last　fleet；　and　for　some　time　previous　to　their　elopement；　had　been　collecting　fishing　tackle；　and　hoarding　up　provisions；　to　enable　them　to　put　their　scheme　into　execution*。

＇*They　have　never　since　been　heard　of。　　Before　they　went　away；　they　tried　in　vain　to　procure　firearms。　　If　they　were　not　swallowed　by　the　sea；　probably　they　were　cut　off　by　the　natives；　on　some　part　of　the　coast　where　their　necessities　obliged　them　to　land。＇




CHAPTER　IX。



Transactions　of　the　Colony　in　part　of　September　and　October；　1790。


From　so　unfavourable　an　omen　as　I　have　just　related；　who　could　prognosticate　that　an　intercourse　with　the　natives　was　about　to　commence！　　That　the　foundation　of　what　neither　entreaty；　munificence；　or　humanity；　could　induce；　should　be　laid　by　a　deed；　which　threatened　to　accumulate　scenes　of　bloodshed　and　horror　was　a　consequence　which　neither　speculation　could　predict；　or　hope　expect　to　see　accomplished。

On　the　15th　a　fire　being　seen　on　the　north　shore　of　the　harbour；　a　party　of　our　people　went　thither；　accompanied　by　Nanbaree　and　Abaroo。　　They　found　there　Baneelon；　and　several　other　natives；　and　much　civility　passed；　which　was　cemented　by　a　mutual　promise　to　meet　in　the　afternoon　at　the　same　place。　　Both　sides　were　punctual　to　their　engagement；　and　no　objection　being　made　to　our　landing；　a　party　of　us　went　ashore　to　them　unarmed。　Several　little　presents；　which　had　been　purposely　brought；　were　distributed　among　them；　and　to　Baneelon　were　given　a　hatchet　and　a　fish。　　At　a　distance　stood　some　children；　who；　though　at　first　timorous　and　unwilling　to　approach；　were　soon　persuaded　to　advance；　and　join　the　men。

A　bottle　of　wine　was　produced；　and　Baneelon　immediately　prepared　for　the　charge。　　Bread　and　beef　he　called　loudly　for；　which　were　given　to　him；　and　he　began　to　eat；　offering　a　part　of　his　fare　to　his　countrymen；　two　of　whom　tasted　the　beef；　but　none　of　them　would　touch　the　bread。　Having　finished　his　repast；　he　made　a　motion　to　be　shaved；　and　a　barber　being　present；　his　request　was　complied　with；　to　the　great　admiration　of　his　countrymen；　who　laughed　and　exclaimed　at　the　operation。　　They　would　not；　however；　consent　to　undergo　it；　but　suffered　their　beards　to　be　clipped　with　a　pair　of　scissors。

On　being　asked　where　their　women　were；　they　pointed　to　the　spot；　but　seemed　not　desirous　that　we　should　approach　it。　　However；　in　a　few　minutes；　a　female　appeared　not　far　off；　and　Abaroo　was　dispatched　to　her。　Baneelon　now　joined　with　Abaroo　to　persuade　her　to　come　to　us；　telling　us　she　was　Barangaroo；　and　his　wife；　notwithstanding　he　had　so　lately　pretended　that　she　had　left　him　for　Colbee。　　At　length　she　yielded；　and　Abaroo；　having　first　put　a　petticoat　on　her；　brought　her　to　us。　　But　this　was　the　prudery　of　the　wilderness；　which　her　husband　joined　us　to　ridicule；　and　we　soon　laughed　her　out　of　it。　　The　petticoat　was　dropped　with　hesitation；　and　Barangaroo　stood　〃armed　cap…a…pee　in　nakedness。〃　　At　the　request　of　Baneelon；　we　combed　and　cut　her　hair；　and　she　seemed　pleased　with　the　operation。　　Wine　she　would　not　taste；　but　turned　from　it　with　disgust；　though　heartily　invited　to　drink　by　the　example　and　persuasion　of　Baneelon。　In　short；　she　behaved　so　well；　and　assumed　the　character　of　gentleness　and　timidity　to　such　advantage；　that　had　our　acquaintance　ended　here；　a　very　moderate　share　of　the　spirit　of　travelling　would　have　sufficed　to　record；　that　amidst　a　horde　of　roaming　savages；　in　the　desert　wastes　of　New　South　Wales；　might　be　found　as　much　feminine　innocence；　softness；　and　modesty　（allowing　for　inevitable　difference　of　education）；　as　the　most　finished　system　could　bestow；　or　the　most　polished　circle　produce。　So　little　fitted　are　we　to　judge　of　human　nature　at　once！　　And　yet　on　such　grounds　have　countries　been　described；　and　nations　characterized。　Hence　have　arisen　those　speculative　and　laborious　compositions　on　the　advantages　and　superiority　of　a　state　of　nature。　　But　to　resume　my　subject。

Supposing；　that　by　a　private　conversation；　she　might　be　induced　to　visit　Sydney；　which　would　be