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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.08.01*END** +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by Col Choat. colc@sanderson.net.au + + + + + +A Complete Account of the Settlement + +by Watkin Tench + + + + + +PREFACE + + + + +When it is recollected how much has been written to describe the Settlement +of New South Wales, it seems necessary if not to offer an apology, +yet to assign a reason, for an additional publication. + +The Author embarked in the fleet which sailed to found the establishment +at Botany Bay. He shortly after published a Narrative of the Proceedings +and State of the Colony, brought up to the beginning of July, 1788, +which was well received, and passed through three editions. This could not +but inspire both confidence and gratitude; but gratitude, would be +badly manifested were he on the presumption of former favour to lay claim +to present indulgence. He resumes the subject in the humble hope +of communicating information, and increasing knowledge, of the country, +which he describes. + +He resided at Port Jackson nearly four years: from the 20th of January, 1788, +until the 18th of December, 1791. To an active and contemplative mind, +a new country is an inexhaustible source of curiosity and speculation. +It was the author's custom not only to note daily occurrences, and to inspect +and record the progression of improvement; but also, when not prevented by +military duties, to penetrate the surrounding country in different directions, +in order to examine its nature, and ascertain its relative geographical +situations. + +The greatest part of the work is inevitably composed of those materials which +a journal supplies; but wherever reflections could be introduced without +fastidiousness and parade, he has not scrupled to indulge them, in common with +every other deviation which the strictness of narrative would allow. + +When this publication was nearly ready for the press; and when many +of the opinions which it records had been declared, fresh accounts from +Port Jackson were received. To the state of a country, where so many anxious +trying hours of his life have passed, the author cannot feel indifferent. +If by any sudden revolution of the laws of nature; or by any fortunate +discovery of those on the spot, it has really become that fertile +and prosperous land, which some represent it to be, he begs permission +to add his voice to the general congratulation. He rejoices at its success: +but it is only justice to himself and those with whom he acted to declare, +that they feel no cause of reproach that so complete and happy an alteration +did not take place at an earlier period. + + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + +A Retrospect of the State of the Colony of Port Jackson, +on the Date of my former Narrative, in July, 1788. + + +Previous to commencing any farther account of the subject, which I am about +to treat, such a retrospection of the circumstances and situation +of the settlement, at the conclusion of my former Narrative, as shall lay +its state before the reader, seems necessary, in order to connect +the present with the past. + +The departure of the first fleet of ships for Europe, on the +14th of July, 1788, had been long impatiently expected; and had filled us +with anxiety, to communicate to our friends an account of our situation; +describing the progress of improvement, and the probability of success, +or failure, in our enterprise. That men should judge very oppositely +on so doubtful and precarious an event, will hardly surprise. + +Such relations could contain little besides the sanguineness of hope, +and the enumeration of hardships and difficulties, which former accounts +had not led us to expect. Since our disembarkation in the preceding January, +the efforts of every one had been unremittingly exerted, to deposit +the public stores in a state of shelter and security, and to erect habitations +for ourselves. We were eager to escape from tents, where a fold of canvas, +only, interposed to check the vertic beams of the sun in summer, +and the chilling blasts of the south in winter. A markee pitched, +in our finest season, on an English lawn; or a transient view of those +gay camps, near the metropolis, which so many remember, naturally draws forth +careless and unmeaning exclamations of rapture, which attach ideas +of pleasure only, to this part of a soldier's life. But an encampment +amidst the rocks and wilds of a new country, aggravated by the miseries +of bad diet, and incessant toil, will find few admirers. + +Nor were our exertions less unsuccessful than they were laborious. +Under wretched covers of thatch lay our provisions and stores, exposed to +destruction from every flash of lightning, and every spark of fire. +A few of the convicts had got into huts; but almost all the officers, +and the whole of the soldiery, were still in tents. + +In such a situation, where knowledge of the mechanic arts afforded +the surest recommendation to notice, it may be easily conceived, +that attention to the parade duty of the troops, gradually diminished. +Now were to be seen officers and soldiers not "trailing the puissant pike" +but felling the ponderous gum-tree, or breaking the stubborn clod. +And though "the broad falchion did not in a ploughshare end" the possession +of a spade, a wheelbarrow, or a dunghill, was more coveted than the most +refulgent arms in which heroism ever dazzled. Those hours, which +in other countries are devoted to martial acquirements, were here consumed +in the labours of the sawpit, the forge and the quarry*. + + +[* "The Swedish prisoners, taken at the battle of Pultowa, +were transported by the Czar Peter to the most remote parts of +Siberia, with a view to civilize the natives of the country, and +teach them the arts the Swedes possessed. In this hopeless situation, +all traces of discipline and subordination, between the different +ranks, were quickly obliterated. The soldiers, who were husbandmen +and artificers, found out their superiority, and assumed it: +the officers became their servants." VOLTAIRE.] + + +Of the two ships of war, the 'Sirius' and 'Supply', the latter was incessantly +employed in transporting troops, convicts, and stores, to Norfolk Island; +and the 'Sirius' in preparing for a voyage to some port, where provisions +for our use might be purchased, the expected supply from England not +having arrived. It is but justice to the officers and men of both these ships +to add, that, on all occasions, they fully shared every hardship and fatigue +with those on shore. + +On the convicts the burden fell yet heavier: necessity compelled us to allot +to them the most slavish and laborious employments. Those operations, +which in other countries are performed by the brute creation, +were here effected by the exertions of men: but this ought not to be +considered a grievance; because they had always been taught to expect it, +as the inevitable consequence of their offences against society. +Severity was rarely exercised on them; and justice was administered +without partiality or discrimination. Their ration of provisions, +except in being debarred from an allowance of spirits, was equal to that +which the marines received. Under these circumstances I record with pleasure, +that they behaved better than had been predicted of them--to have expected +sudden and complete reformation of conduct, were romantic and chimerical. + +Our cultivation of the land was yet in its infancy. We had hitherto tried +only the country contiguous to Sydney. Here the governor had established +a government-farm; at the head of which a competent person of his own household +was placed, with convicts to work under him. Almost the whole of the officers +likewise accepted of small tracts of ground, for the purpose of raising grain +and vegetables: but experience proved to us, that the soil would produce +neither without manure; and as this was not to be procured, our vigour +soon slackened; and most of the farms (among which was the one belonging +to government) were successively abandoned. + +With the natives we were very little more acquainted than on our arrival +in the country. Our intercourse with them was neither frequent or cordial. +They seemed studiously to avoid us, either from fear, jealousy, or hatred. +When they met with unarmed stragglers, they sometimes killed, and sometimes +wounded them. I confess that, in common with many others, I was inclined +to attribute this conduct, to a spirit of malignant levity. But a farther +acquaintance with them, founded on several instances of their humanity +and generosity, which shall be noticed in their proper places, has entirely +reversed my opinion; and led me to conclude, that the unprovoked outrages +committed upon them, by unprincipled individuals among us, caused the evils +we had experienced. To prevent them from being plundered of +their fishing-tackle and weapons of war, a proclamation was issued, +forbidding their sale among us; but it was not attended with the good effect +which was hoped for from it. + +During this period, notwithstanding the want of fresh provisions +and vegetables, and almost constant exposure to the vicissitudes +of a variable climate, disease rarely attacked us; and the number of deaths, +was too inconsiderable to deserve mention. + +Norfolk Island had been taken possession of, by a party detached for that +purpose, early after our arrival. Few accounts of it had yet reached us. +And here I beg leave to observe, that as I can speak of this island +only from the relations of others, never having myself been there, +I shall in every part of this work mention it as sparingly as possible. +And this more especially, as it seems probable, that some of those gentlemen, +who from accurate knowledge, and long residence on it, are qualified to write +its history, will oblige the world with such a publication. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + +Transactions of the Colony from the sailing of the First Fleet in July, 1788, +to the Close of that Year. + + +It was impossible to behold without emotion the departure of the ships. +On their speedy arrival in England perhaps hinged our fate; by hastening +our supplies to us. + +On the 20th of July, the 'Supply' sailed for Norfolk Island, and returned to us +on the 26th of August; bringing no material news, except that the soil +was found to suit grain, and other seeds, which had been sown in it, and that +a species of flax-plant was discovered to grow spontaneously on the island. + +A survey of the harbour of Port Jackson was now undertaken, in order to compute +the number of canoes, and inhabitants, which it might contain: +sixty-seven canoes, and 147 people were counted. No estimate, however, +of even tolerable accuracy, can be drawn from so imperfect a datum; +though it was perhaps the best in our power to acquire. + +In July and August, we experienced more inclement tempestuous weather +than had been observed at any former period of equal duration. And yet +it deserves to be remarked, in honour of the climate, that, although our number +of people exceeded 900, not a single death happened in the latter month. + +The dread of want in a country destitute of natural resource is ever +peculiarly terrible. We had long turned our eyes with impatience towards +the sea, cheered by the hope of seeing supplies from England approach. +But none arriving, on the 2d of October the 'Sirius' sailed for the +Cape of Good Hope, with directions to purchase provisions there, for the use +of our garrison. + +A new settlement, named by the governor Rose Hill, 16 miles inland, +was established on the 3d of November, the soil here being judged better +than that around Sydney. A small redoubt was thrown up, and a captain's +detachment posted in it, to protect the convicts who were employed +to cultivate the ground. + +The two last of the transports left us for England on the 19th of November, +intending to make their passage by Cape Horn. There now remained with us +only the 'Supply'. Sequestered and cut off as we were from the rest +of civilized nature, their absence carried the effect of desolation. +About this time a convict, of the name of Daly, was hanged, for a burglary: +this culprit, who was a notorious thief and impostor, was the author +of a discovery of a gold mine, a few months before: a composition resembling +ore mingled with earth, which he pretended to have brought from it, +he produced. After a number of attendant circumstances, too ludicrous +and contemptible to relate, which befell a party, who were sent +under his guidance to explore this second Peru, he at last confessed, +that he had broken up an old pair of buckles, and mixed the pieces with sand +and stone; and on assaying the composition, the brass was detected. +The fate of this fellow I should not deem worth recording, did it not lead +to the following observation, that the utmost circumspection is necessary +to prevent imposition, in those who give accounts of what they see +in unknown countries. We found the convicts particularly happy in fertility +of invention, and exaggerated descriptions. Hence large fresh water rivers, +valuable ores, and quarries of limestone, chalk, and marble, were daily +proclaimed soon after we had landed. At first we hearkened with avidity +to such accounts; but perpetual disappointments taught us to listen +with caution, and to believe from demonstration only. + +Unabated animosity continued to prevail between the natives and us: +n addition to former losses, a soldier and several convicts suddenly +disappeared, and were never afterwards heard of. Three convicts were +also wounded, and one killed by them, near Botany Bay: similar to +the vindictive spirit which Mr. Cook found to exist among their countrymen +at Endeavour River, they more than once attempted to set fire to +combustible matter, in order to annoy us. Early on the morning of the +18th of December, word was brought that they were assembled in force, +near the brick-kilns, which stand but a mile from the town of Sydney. +The terror of those who brought the first intelligence magnified the number +to two thousand; a second messenger diminished it to four hundred. +A detachment, under the command of an officer was ordered to march immediately, +and reconnoitre them. The officer soon returned, and reported, +that about fifty Indians had appeared at the brick-kilns; but upon the +convicts, who were at work there, pointing their spades and shovels at them, +in the manner of guns, they had fled into the woods. + +Tired of this state of petty warfare and endless uncertainty, the governor +at length determined to adopt a decisive measure, by capturing some of them, +and retaining them by force; which we supposed would either inflame the rest +to signal vengeance, in which case we should know the worst, and provide +accordingly: or else it would induce an intercourse, by the report +which our prisoners would make of the mildness and indulgence with which +we used them. And farther, it promised to unveil the cause of their +mysterious conduct, by putting us in possession of their reasons for harassing +and destroying our people, in the manner I have related. Boats were +accordingly ordered to be got ready, and every preparation made, +which could lead to the attainment of our object. + +But as this subject deserves to be particularly detailed, I shall, +notwithstanding its being just within the period of time which this chapter +professes to comprise, allot it a separate place, in the beginning of the next. + +Nor can I close this part of my work without congratulating both the reader +and the author. New matter now presents itself. A considerable part +of the foregoing chapters had been related before, either by others or myself. +I was however, unavoidably compelled to insert it, in order to preserve +unbroken that chain of detail, and perspicuity of arrangement, at which books +professing to convey information should especially aim. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + +Transactions of the Colony, from the Commencement of the Year 1789, +until the End of March. + + +Pursuant to his resolution, the governor on the 31st of December sent +two boats, under the command of Lieutenant Ball of the 'Supply', and +Lieutenant George Johnston of the marines, down the harbour, with directions +to those officers to seize and carry off some of the natives. The boats +proceeded to Manly Cove, where several Indians were seen standing on the beach, +who were enticed by courteous behaviour and a few presents to enter +into conversation. A proper opportunity being presented, our people rushed in +among them, and seized two men: the rest fled; but the cries of the captives +soon brought them back, with many others, to their rescue: and so desperate +were their struggles, that, in spite of every effort on our side, only one +of them was secured; the other effected his escape. The boats put off +without delay; and an attack from the shore instantly commenced: +they threw spears, stones, firebrands, and whatever else presented itself, +at the boats; nor did they retreat, agreeable to their former custom, +until many musquets were fired over them. + +The prisoner was now fastened by ropes to the thwarts of the boat; and when +he saw himself irretrievably disparted from his countrymen, set up +the most piercing and lamentable cries of distress. His grief, however, +soon diminished: he accepted and ate of some broiled fish +which was given to him, and sullenly submitted to his destiny. + +When the news of his arrival at Sydney was announced, I went with every other +person to see him: he appeared to be about thirty years old, not tall, +but robustly made; and of a countenance which, under happier circumstances, +I thought would display manliness and sensibility; his agitation was excessive, +and the clamourous crowds who flocked around him did not contribute +to lessen it. Curiosity and observation seemed, nevertheless, not to have +wholly deserted him; he shewed the effect of novelty upon ignorance; +he wondered at all he saw: though broken and interrupted with dismay, +his voice was soft and musical, when its natural tone could be heard; +and he readily pronounced with tolerable accuracy the names of things +which were taught him. To our ladies he quickly became extraordinarily +courteous, a sure sign that his terror was wearing off. + +Every blandishment was used to soothe him, and it had its effect. +As he was entering the governor's house, some one touched a small bell +which hung over the door: he started with horror and astonishment; +but in a moment after was reconciled to the noise, and laughed at the cause +of his perturbation. When pictures were shown to him, he knew directly +those which represented the human figure: among others, a very large handsome +print of her royal highness the Dutchess of Cumberland being produced, +he called out 'woman', a name by which we had just before taught him to call +the female convicts. Plates of birds and beasts were also laid before him; +and many people were led to believe, that such as he spoke about and pointed to +were known to him. But this must have been an erroneous conjecture, +for the elephant, rhinoceros, and several others, which we must have discovered +did they exist in the country, were of the number. Again, on the other hand, +those he did not point out, were equally unknown to him. + +His curiosity here being satiated, we took him to a large brick house, +which was building for the governor's residence: being about to enter, +he cast up his eyes, and seeing some people leaning out of a window +on the first story, he exclaimed aloud, and testified the most extravagant +surprise. Nothing here was observed to fix his attention so strongly +as some tame fowls, who were feeding near him: our dogs also he +particularly noticed; but seemed more fearful than fond of them. + +He dined at a side-table at the governor's; and ate heartily of fish and ducks, +which he first cooled. Bread and salt meat he smelled at, but would not taste: +all our liquors he treated in the same manner, and could drink nothing +but water. On being shown that he was not to wipe his hands on the chair +which he sat upon, he used a towel which was gave to him, +with great cleanliness and decency. + +In the afternoon his hair was closely cut, his head combed, and his beard +shaved; but he would not submit to these operations until he had seen them +performed on another person, when he readily acquiesced. His hair, +as might be supposed, was filled with vermin, whose destruction seemed +to afford him great triumph; nay, either revenge, or pleasure, prompted him +to eat them! but on our expressing disgust and abhorrence he left it off. + +To this succeeded his immersion in a tub of water and soap, where he was +completely washed and scrubbed from head to foot; after which a shirt, +a jacket, and a pair of trousers, were put upon him. Some part +of this ablution I had the honour to perform, in order that I might ascertain +the real colour of the skin of these people. My observation then was +(and it has since been confirmed in a thousand other instances) that they are +as black as the lighter cast of the African negroes. + +Many unsuccessful attempts were made to learn his name; the governor therefore +called him Manly, from the cove in which he was captured: this cove +had received its name from the manly undaunted behaviour of a party of natives +seen there, on our taking possession of the country. + +To prevent his escape, a handcuff with a rope attached to it, was fastened +around his left wrist, which at first highly delighted him; he called it +'bengadee' (or ornament), but his delight changed to rage and hatred +when he discovered its use. His supper he cooked himself: some fish +were given to him for this purpose, which, without any previous preparation +whatever, he threw carelessly on the fire, and when they became warm +took them up, and first rubbed off the scales, peeled the outside +with his teeth, and ate it; afterwards he gutted them, and laying them again +on the fire, completed the dressing, and ate them. + +A convict was selected to sleep with him, and to attend him wherever +he might go. When he went with his keeper into his apartment he appeared +very restless and uneasy while a light was kept in; but on its extinction, +he immediately lay down and composed himself. + +Sullenness and dejection strongly marked his countenance on the following +morning; to amuse him, he was taken around the camp, and to the observatory: +casting his eyes to the opposite shore from the point where he stood, +and seeing the smoke of fire lighted by his countrymen, he looked earnestly +at it, and sighing deeply two or three times, uttered the word +'gweeun' (fire). + +His loss of spirits had not, however, the effect of impairing his appetite; +eight fish, each weighing about a pound, constituted his breakfast, +which he dressed as before. When he had finished his repast, +he turned his back to the fire in a musing posture, and crept so close to it, +that his shirt was caught by the flame; luckily his keeper soon +extinguished it; but he was so terrified at the accident, that he was +with difficulty persuaded to put on a second. + +1st. January, 1789. To-day being new-year's-day, most of the officers +were invited to the governor's table: Manly dined heartily on fish +and roasted pork; he was seated on a chest near a window, out of which, +when he had done eating, he would have thrown his plate, had he not +been prevented: during dinner-time a band of music played in an adjoining +apartment; and after the cloth was removed, one of the company sang +in a very soft and superior style; but the powers of melody were lost on Manly, +which disappointed our expectations, as he had before shown pleasure +and readiness in imitating our tunes. Stretched out on his chest, +and putting his hat under his head, he fell asleep. + +To convince his countrymen that he had received no injury from us, +the governor took him in a boat down the harbour, that they might see +and converse with him: when the boat arrived, and lay at a little distance +from the beach, several Indians who had retired at her approach, +on seeing Manly, returned: he was greatly affected, and shed tears. +At length they began to converse. Our ignorance of the language prevented us +from knowing much of what passed; it was, however, easily understood +that his friends asked him why he did not jump overboard, and rejoin them. +He only sighed, and pointed to the fetter on his leg, by which he was bound. + +In going down the harbour he had described the names by which they distinguish +its numerous creeks and headlands: he was now often heard to repeat +that of 'Weerong' (Sydney Cove), which was doubtless to inform his countrymen +of the place of his captivity; and perhaps invite them to rescue him. +By this time his gloom was chased away, and he parted from his friends +without testifying reluctance. His vivacity and good humour continued +all the evening, and produced so good an effect on his appetite, +that he ate for supper two kangaroo rats, each of the size of +a moderate rabbit, and in addition not less than three pounds of fish. + +Two days after he was taken on a similar excursion; but to our surprise +the natives kept aloof, and would neither approach the shore, or discourse +with their countryman: we could get no explanation of this difficulty, +which seemed to affect us more than it did him. Uncourteous as they were, +he performed to them an act of attentive benevolence; seeing a basket +made of bark, used by them to carry water, he conveyed into it two hawks +and another bird, which the people in the boat had shot, and carefully +covering them over, left them as a present to his old friends. But indeed +the gentleness and humanity of his disposition frequently displayed themselves: +when our children, stimulated by wanton curiosity, used to flock around him, +he never failed to fondle them, and, if he were eating at the time, +constantly offered them the choicest part of his fare. + +February, 1789. His reserve, from want of confidence in us, continued +gradually to wear away: he told us his name, and Manly gave place +to Arabanoo. Bread he began to relish; and tea he drank with avidity: +strong liquors he would never taste, turning from them with disgust +and abhorrence. Our dogs and cats had ceased to be objects of fear, +and were become his greatest pets, and constant companions at table. +One of our chief amusements, after the cloth was removed, was to make him +repeat the names of things in his language, which he never hesitated to do +with the utmost alacrity, correcting our pronunciation when erroneous. +Much information relating to the customs and manners of his country +was also gained from him: but as this subject will be separately and amply +treated, I shall not anticipate myself by partially touching on it here. + +On the 2nd of February died Captain John Shea of the marines, +after a lingering illness: he was interred on the following day, +with the customary military honours, amidst the regret of all who knew him. +In consequence of his decease, appointments for the promotion of the oldest +officer of each subordinate rank were signed by the major commandant +of the marine battalion, until the pleasure of the lords of the admiralty +should be notified.* + +[*These appointments were confirmed by the admiralty.] + +On the 17th of February the 'Supply' again sailed for Norfolk Island. +The governor went down the harbour in her, and carried Arabanoo with him, +who was observed to go on board with distrust and reluctance; when he found +she was under sail, every effort was tried without success to exhilarate him; +at length, an opportunity being presented, he plunged overboard, and struck out +for the nearest shore: believing that those who were left behind would fire +at him, he attempted to dive, at which he was known to be very expert: +but this was attended with a difficulty which he had not foreseen: +his clothes proved so buoyant, that he was unable to get more than his head +under water: a boat was immediately dispatched after him, and picked him up, +though not without struggles and resistance on his side. When brought +on board, he appeared neither afraid or ashamed of what he had done, +but sat apart, melancholy and dispirited, and continued so until he saw +the governor and his other friends descend into a boat, and heard himself +called upon to accompany them: he sprang forward, and his cheerfulness +and alacrity of temper immediately returned, and lasted during the remainder +of the day. The dread of being carried away, on an element of whose boundary +he could form no conception, joined to the uncertainty of our intention +towards him, unquestionably caused him to act as he did. + +One of the principal effects which we had supposed the seizure and captivity +of Arabanoo would produce, seemed yet at as great a distance as ever; +the natives neither manifested signs of increased hostility on his account, +or attempted to ask any explanation of our conduct through the medium +of their countryman who was in our possession, and who they knew was treated +with no farther harshness than in being detained among us. Their forbearance +of open and determined attack upon can be accounted for only by recollecting +their knowledge of our numbers, and their dread of our fire-arms: +that they wanted not sufficient provocation to do so, will appear from what +I am about to relate. + +March, 1789. Sixteen convicts left their work at the brick-kilns +without leave, and marched to Botany Bay, with a design to attack the natives, +and to plunder them of their fishing-tackle and spears: they had armed +themselves with their working tools and large clubs. When they arrived +near the bay, a body of Indians, who had probably seen them set out, +and had penetrated their intention from experience, suddenly fell upon them. +Our heroes were immediately routed, and separately endeavoured to effect +their escape by any means which were left. In their flight one was killed, +and seven were wounded, for the most part very severely: those who had +the good fortune to outstrip their comrades and arrive in camp, first gave +the alarm; and a detachment of marines, under an officer, was ordered +to march to their relief. The officer arrived too late to repel the Indians; +but he brought in the body of the man that was killed, and put an end +to the pursuit. The governor was justly incensed at what had happened, +and instituted the most rigorous scrutiny into the cause which had produced it. +At first the convicts were unanimous in affirming, that they were +quietly picking sweet-tea*, when they were without provocation assaulted +by the natives, with whom they had no wish to quarrel. Some of them, however, +more irresolute than the rest, at last disclosed the purpose for which +the expedition had been undertaken; and the whole were ordered to be +severely flogged: Arabanoo was present at the infliction of the punishment; +and was made to comprehend the cause and the necessity of it; but he displayed +on the occasion symptoms of disgust and terror only. + +[*A vegetable creeper found growing on the rocks, which yields, +on infusion in hot water, a sweet astringent taste, whence it derives +its name: to its virtues the healthy state of the soldiery and convicts +must be greatly attributed. It was drank universally.] + +On the 24th instant the 'Supply' arrived from Norfolk Island, +and Lord Howe Island, bringing from the latter place three turtles. + +An awful and terrible example of justice took place towards the close +of this month, which I record with regret, but which it would be disingenuous +to suppress. Six marines, the flower of our battalion, were hanged +by the public executioner, on the sentence of a criminal court, +composed entirely of their own officers, for having at various times +robbed the public stores of flour, meat, spirits, tobacco, +and many other articles. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + + +Transactions of the Colony in April and May, 1789. + + +An extraordinary calamity was now observed among the natives. Repeated +accounts brought by our boats of finding bodies of the Indians in all the coves +and inlets of the harbour, caused the gentlemen of our hospital to procure +some of them for the purposes of examination and anatomy. On inspection, +it appeared that all the parties had died a natural death: pustules, +similar to those occasioned by the small pox, were thickly spread +on the bodies; but how a disease, to which our former observations had led us +to suppose them strangers, could at once have introduced itself, +and have spread so widely, seemed inexplicable.* Whatever might be the cause, +the existence of the malady could no longer be doubted. Intelligence +was brought that an Indian family lay sick in a neighbouring cove: +the governor, attended by Arabanoo, and a surgeon, went in a boat immediately +to the spot. Here they found an old man stretched before a few lighted sticks, +and a boy of nine or ten years old pouring water on his head, from a shell +which he held in his hand: near them lay a female child dead, +and a little farther off, its unfortunate mother: the body of the woman +shewed that famine, superadded to disease, had occasioned her death: +eruptions covered the poor boy from head to foot; and the old man was +so reduced, that he was with difficulty got into the boat. Their situation +rendered them incapable of escape, and they quietly submitted to be led away. +Arabanoo, contrary to his usual character, seemed at first unwilling +to render them any assistance; but his shyness soon wore off, and he treated +them with the kindest attention. Nor would he leave the place until +he had buried the corpse of the child: that of the woman he did not see +from its situation; and as his countrymen did not point it out, +the governor ordered that it should not be shown to him. He scooped a grave +in the sand with his hands, of no peculiarity of shape, which he lined +completely with grass, and put the body into it, covering it also with grass; +and then he filled up the hole, and raised over it a small mound with the earth +which had been removed. Here the ceremony ended, unaccompanied +by any invocation to a superior being, or any attendant circumstance +whence an inference of their religious opinions could be deduced. + +[*No solution of this difficulty had been given when I left the country, +in December, 1791. I can, therefore, only propose queries for the ingenuity +of others to exercise itself upon: is it a disease indigenous to the country? +Did the French ships under Monsieur de Peyrouse introduce it? Let it be +remembered that they had now been departed more than a year; and we had never +heard of its existence on board of them. Had it travelled across the continent +from its western shore, where Dampier and other European voyagers +had formerly landed? Was it introduced by Mr. Cook? Did we give it birth +here? No person among us had been afflicted with the disorder +since we had quitted the Cape of Good Hope, seventeen months before. +It is true, that our surgeons had brought out variolous matter in bottles; +but to infer that it was produced from this cause were a supposition +so wild as to be unworthy of consideration.] + + +An uninhabited house, near the hospital, was allotted for their reception, +and a cradle prepared for each of them. By the encouragement of Arabanoo, +who assured them of protection, and the soothing behaviour of our medical +gentlemen, they became at once reconciled to us, and looked happy and grateful +at the change of their situation. Sickness and hunger had, however, +so much exhausted the old man, that little hope was entertained +of his recovery. As he pointed frequently to his throat, at the instance +of Arabanoo, he tried to wash it with a gargle which was given to him; +but the obstructed, tender state of the part rendered it impracticable. +'Bado, bado' (water), was his cry: when brought to him, he drank largely +at intervals of it. He was equally importunate for fire, being seized +with shivering fits; and one was kindled. Fish were produced, to tempt him +to eat; but he turned away his head, with signs of loathing. +Nanbaree (the boy), on the contrary, no sooner saw them than he leaped +from his cradle, and eagerly seizing them, began to cook them. A warm bath +being prepared, they were immersed in it; and after being thoroughly cleansed, +they had clean shirts put on them, and were again laid in bed. + +The old man lived but a few hours. He bore the pangs of dissolution +with patient composure; and though he was sensible to the last moment, +expired almost without a groan. Nanbaree appeared quite unmoved at the event; +and surveyed the corpse of his father without emotion, simply exclaiming, +'boee' (dead). This surprised us; as the tenderness and anxiety of the old man +about the boy had been very moving. Although barely able to raise his head, +while so much strength was left to him, he kept looking into +his child's cradle; he patted him gently on the bosom; and, with dying eyes, +seemed to recommend him to our humanity and protection. Nanbaree was adopted +by Mr. White, surgeon-general of the settlement, and became henceforth +one of his family. + +Arabanoo had no sooner heard of the death of his countryman, than he hastened +to inter him. I was present at the ceremony, in company with the governor, +captain Ball, and two or three other persons. It differed, by the accounts +of those who were present at the funeral of the girl, in no respect +from what had passed there in the morning, except that the grave was dug +by a convict. But I was informed, that when intelligence of the death +reached Arabanoo, he expressed himself with doubt whether he should bury, +or burn the body; and seemed solicitous to ascertain which ceremony +would be most gratifying to the governor. + +Indeed, Arabanoo's behaviour, during the whole of the transactions of this day, +was so strongly marked by affection to his countryman, and by confidence in us, +that the governor resolved to free him from all farther restraint, +and at once to trust to his generosity, and the impression which our treatment +of him might have made, for his future residence among us: the fetter +was accordingly taken off his leg. + +In the evening, captain Ball and I crossed the harbour, and buried the corpse +of the woman before mentioned. + +Distress continued to drive them in upon us. Two more natives, one of them +a young man, and the other his sister, a girl of fourteen years old, +were brought in by the governor's boat, in a most deplorable state +of wretchedness from the smallpox. The sympathy and affection of Arabanoo, +which had appeared languid in the instance of Nanbaree and his father, +here manifested themselves immediately. We conjectured that a difference +of the tribes to which they belonged might cause the preference; but nothing +afterwards happened to strengthen or confirm such a supposition. +The young man died at the end of three days: the girl recovered, +and was received as an inmate, with great kindness, in the family +of Mrs Johnson, the clergyman's wife. Her name was Booron; but from +our mistake of pronunciation she acquired that of Abaroo, by which +she was generally known, and by which she will always be called in this work. +She shewed, at the death of her brother more feeling than Nanbaree +had witnessed for the loss of his father. When she found him dying, +she crept to his side, and lay by him until forced by the cold to retire. +No exclamation, or other sign of grief, however, escaped her +for what had happened. + +May 1789. At sunset, on the evening of the 2d instant, the arrival +the 'Sirius', Captain Hunter, from the Cape of Good Hope, was proclaimed, +and diffused universal joy and congratulation. The day of famine was at least +procrastinated by the supply of flour and salt provisions she brought us. + +The 'Sirius' had made her passage to the Cape of Good Hope, by the route of +Cape Horn, in exactly thirteen weeks. Her highest latitude was +57 degrees 10 minutes south, where the weather proved intolerably cold. Ice, +in great quantity, was seen for many days; and in the middle of December +(which is correspondent to the middle of June, in our hemisphere), +water froze in open casks upon deck, in the moderate latitude of 44 degrees. + +They were very kindly treated by the Dutch governor, and amply supplied +by the merchants at the Cape, where they remained seven weeks. Their passage +back was effected by Van Diemen's Land, near which, and close under +Tasman's Head, they were in the utmost peril of being wrecked. + +In this long run, which had extended round the circle, they had always +determined their longitude, to the greatest nicety, by distances taken +between the sun and moon, or between the moon and a star. But it falls +to the lot of very few ships to possess such indefatigable and accurate +observers as Captain Hunter, and Mr. (now Captain) Bradley, +the first lieutenant of the 'Sirius'. + +I feel assured, that I have no reader who will not join in regretting +the premature loss of Arabanoo, who died of the smallpox on the 18th instant, +after languishing in it six days. From some imperfect marks and indents +on his face, we were inclined to believe that he had passed this dreaded +disorder. Even when the first symptoms of sickness seized him, +we continued willing to hope that they proceeded from a different cause. +But at length the disease burst forth with irresistible fury. +It were superfluous to say, that nothing which medical skill and unremitting +attention could perform, were left unexerted to mitigate his sufferings, +and prolong a life, which humanity and affectionate concern towards +his sick compatriots, unfortunately shortened. + +During his sickness he reposed entire confidence in us. Although a stranger +to medicine, and nauseating the taste of it, he swallowed with patient +submission innumerable drugs,* which the hope of relief induced us +to administer to him. The governor, who particularly regarded him, caused him +to be buried in his own garden, and attended the funeral in person. + +[*Very different had been his conduct on a former occasion of a similar kind. +Soon after he was brought among us he was seized with a diarrhoea, +for which he could by no persuasion be induced to swallow any +of our prescriptions. After many ineffectual trials to deceive, +or overcome him, it was at length determined to let him pursue his own course, +and to watch if he should apply for relief to any of the productions +of the country. He was in consequence observed to dig fern-root, +and to chew it. Whether the disorder had passed its crisis, or whether +the fern-root effected a cure, I know not; but it is certain that he became +speedily well. + +**The regard was reciprocal. His excellency had been ill but a short time +before, when Arabanoo had testified the utmost solicitude for his case +and recovery. It is probable that he acquired, on this occasion, +just notions of the benefit to be derived from medical assistance. +A doctor is, among them, a person of consequence. It is certain that he +latterly estimated our professional gentlemen very highly.] + +The character of Arabanoo, as far as we had developed it, was distinguished +by a portion of gravity and steadiness, which our subsequent acquaintance +with his countrymen by no means led us to conclude a national characteristic. +In that daring, enterprising frame of mind, which, when combined with genius, +constitutes the leader of a horde of savages, or the ruler of a people, +boasting the power of discrimination and the resistance of ambition, +he was certainly surpassed by some of his successors, who afterwards +lived among us. His countenance was thoughtful, but not animated: +his fidelity and gratitude, particularly to his friend the governor, +were constant and undeviating, and deserve to be recorded. +Although of a gentle and placable temper, we early discovered that he was +impatient of indignity, and allowed of no superiority on our part. +He knew that he was in our power; but the independence of his mind +never forsook him. If the slightest insult were offered to him, +he would return it with interest. At retaliation of merriment he was +often happy; and frequently turned the laugh against his antagonist. +He did not want docility; but either from the difficulty of acquiring +our language, from the unskillfulness of his teachers, or from some +natural defect, his progress in learning it was not equal to what +we had expected. For the last three or four weeks of his life, hardly any +restraint was laid upon his inclinations: so that had he meditated escape, +he might easily have effected it. He was, perhaps, the only native +who was ever attached to us from choice; and who did not prefer +a precarious subsistence among wilds and precipices, to the comforts +of a civilized system. + +By his death, the scheme which had invited his capture was utterly defeated. +Of five natives who had been brought among us, three had perished from a cause +which, though unavoidable, it was impossible to explain to a people, +who would condescend to enter into no intercourse with us. The same +suspicious dread of our approach, and the same scenes of vengeance acted on +unfortunate stragglers, continued to prevail. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + + +Transactions of the Colony until the Close of the Year 1789. + + +The anniversary of his majesty's birth-day was celebrated, as heretofore, +at the government-house, with loyal festivity. In the evening, the play +of 'The Recruiting Officer' was performed by a party of convicts, +and honoured by the presence of his excellency, and the officers +of the garrison. That every opportunity of escape from the dreariness +and dejection of our situation should be eagerly embraced, will not +be wondered at. The exhilarating effect of a splendid theatre is well known: +and I am not ashamed to confess, that the proper distribution of three or four +yards of stained paper, and a dozen farthing candles stuck around the mud walls +of a convict-hut, failed not to diffuse general complacency on the countenances +of sixty persons, of various descriptions, who were assembled to applaud +the representation. Some of the actors acquitted themselves with great spirit, +and received the praises of the audience: a prologue and an epilogue, +written by one of the performers, were also spoken on the occasion; which, +although not worth inserting here, contained some tolerable allusions +to the situation of the parties, and the novelty of a stage-representation +in New South Wales. + +Broken Bay, which was supposed to be completely explored, became again +an object of research. On the sixth instant, the governor, accompanied by +a large party in two boats, proceeded thither. Here they again wandered +over piles of mis-shapen desolation, contemplating scenes of wild solitude, +whose unvarying appearance renders them incapable of affording either novelty +or gratification. But when they had given over the hope of farther discovery, +by pursuing the windings of an inlet, which, from its appearance, +was supposed to be a short creek, they suddenly found themselves +at the entrance of a fresh water river, up which they proceeded twenty miles, +in a westerly direction; and would have farther prosecuted their research, +had not a failure of provisions obliged them to return. This river +they described to be of considerable breadth, and of great depth; but its banks +had hitherto presented nothing better than a counterpart of the rocks +and precipices which surround Broken Bay. + +June, 1789. A second expedition, to ascertain its course, was undertaken +by his excellency, who now penetrated (measuring by the bed of the river) +between 60 and 70 miles, when the farther progress of the boats was stopped +by a fall. The water in every part was found to be fresh and good. +Of the adjoining country, the opinions of those who had inspected it +(of which number I was not) were so various, that I shall decline +to record them. Some saw a rich and beautiful country; and others were +so unfortunate as to discover little else than large tracts of low land, +covered with reeds, and rank with the inundations of the stream, by which +they had been recently covered. All parties, however, agreed, that the rocky, +impenetrable country, seen on the first excursion, had ended nearly about +the place whence the boats had then turned back. Close to the fall +stands a very beautiful hill, which our adventurers mounted, and enjoyed +from it an extensive prospect. Potatoes, maize, and garden seeds +of various kinds were put into the earth, by the governor's order, +on different parts of Richmond-hill, which was announced to be its name. +The latitude of Richmond-hill, as observed by captain Hunter, was settled +at 33 degrees 36 minutes south. + +Here also the river received the name of Hawkesbury, in honour of +the noble lord who bears that title. + +Natives were found on the banks in several parts, many of whom were labouring +under the smallpox. They did not attempt to commit hostilities +against the boats; but on the contrary shewed every sign of welcome +and friendship to the strangers. + +At this period, I was unluckily invested with the command of the outpost +at Rose Hill, which prevented me from being in the list of discoverers +of the Hawkesbury. Stimulated, however, by a desire of acquiring +a further knowledge of the country, on the 26th instant, accompanied by +Mr. Arndell, assistant surgeon of the settlement, Mr. Lowes, surgeon's mate +of the 'Sirius', two marines, and a convict, I left the redoubt at day-break, +pointing our march to a hill, distant five miles, in a westerly or inland +direction, which commands a view of the great chain of mountains, +called Carmarthen hills, extending from north to south farther than +the eye can reach. Here we paused, surveying "the wild abyss; +pondering our voyage." Before us lay the trackless immeasurable desert, +in awful silence. At length, after consultation, we determined to steer +west and by north, by compass, the make of the land in that quarter indicating +the existence of a river. We continued to march all day through a country +untrodden before by an European foot. Save that a melancholy crow now and then +flew croaking over head, or a kangaroo was seen to bound at a distance, +the picture of solitude was complete and undisturbed. At four o'clock +in the afternoon we halted near a small pond of water, where we took up +our residence for the night, lighted a fire, and prepared to cook our supper: +that was, to broil over a couple of ramrods a few slices of salt pork, +and a crow which we had shot. + +At daylight we renewed our peregrination; and in an hour after we found +ourselves on the banks of a river, nearly as broad as the Thames at Putney, +and apparently of great depth, the current running very slowly in +a northerly direction. Vast flocks of wild ducks were swimming in the stream; +but after being once fired at, they grew so shy that we could not get near them +a second time. Nothing is more certain than that the sound of a gun +had never before been heard within many miles of this spot. + +We proceeded upwards, by a slow pace, through reeds, thickets, and a thousand +other obstacles, which impeded our progress, over coarse sandy ground, +which had been recently inundated, though full forty feet above +the present level of the river. Traces of the natives appeared at every step, +sometimes in their hunting-huts, which consist of nothing more than +a large piece of bark, bent in the middle, and open at both ends, exactly +resembling two cards, set up to form an acute angle; sometimes in marks +on trees which they had climbed; or in squirrel-traps*; or, which surprised us +more, from being new, in decoys for the purpose of ensnaring birds. +These are formed of underwood and reeds, long and narrow, shaped like +a mound raised over a grave; with a small aperture at one end for admission +of the prey; and a grate made of sticks at the other: the bird enters +at the aperture, seeing before him the light of the grate, between the bars +of which, he vainly endeavours to thrust himself, until taken. Most of these +decoys were full of feathers, chiefly those of quails, which shewed +their utility. We also met with two old damaged canoes hauled up on the beach, +which differed in no wise from those found on the sea coast. + +[*A squirrel-trap is a cavity of considerable depth, formed by art, +in the body of a tree. When the Indians in their hunting parties set fire +to the surrounding country (which is a very common custom) the squirrels, +opossums, and other animals, who live in trees, flee for refuge into these +holes, whence they are easily dislodged and taken. The natives always +pitch on a part of a tree for this purpose, which has been perforated +by a worm, which indicates that the wood is in an unsound state, and will +readily yield to their efforts. If the rudeness and imperfection of the tools +with which they work be considered, it must be confessed to be an operation +of great toil and difficulty.] + + +Having remained out three days, we returned to our quarters at Rose-hill, +with the pleasing intelligence of our discovery. The country we had passed +through we found tolerably plain, and little encumbered with underwood, +except near the river side. It is entirely covered with the same sorts +of trees as grow near Sydney; and in some places grass springs up luxuriantly; +other places are quite bare of it. The soil is various: in many parts +a stiff and clay, covered with small pebbles; in other places, of a soft +loamy nature: but invariably, in every part near the river, it is +a coarse sterile sand. Our observations on it (particularly mine, +from carrying the compass by which we steered) were not so numerous as might +have been wished. But, certainly, if the qualities of it be such as to deserve +future cultivation, no impediment of surface, but that of cutting down +and burning the trees, exists, to prevent its being tilled. + +To this river the governor gave the name of Nepean. The distance of the part +of the river which we first hit upon from the sea coast, is about 39 miles, +in a direct line almost due west. + +A survey of Botany Bay took place in September. I was of the party, +with several others officers. We continued nine days in the bay, +during which time, the relative position of every part of it, to the extent +of more than thirty miles, following the windings of the shore, +was ascertained, and laid down on paper, by captain Hunter. + +So complete an opportunity of forming a judgment, enables me to speak +decisively of a place, which has often engaged conversation and excited +reflection. Variety of opinions here disappeared. I shall, therefore, +transcribe literally what I wrote in my journal, on my return from +the expedition. "We were unanimously of opinion, that had not the nautical +part of Mr. Cook's description, in which we include the latitude and longitude +of the bay, been so accurately laid down, there would exist the utmost reason +to believe, that those who have described the contiguous country, had never +seen it. On the sides of the harbour, a line of sea coast more than +thirty miles long, we did not find 200 acres which could be cultivated." + +September, 1789. But all our attention was not directed to explore inlets, +and toll for discovery. Our internal tranquillity was still more important. +To repress the inroads of depredation; and to secure to honest industry +the reward of its labour, had become matter of the most serious consideration; +hardly a night passing without the commission of robbery. Many expedients +were devised; and the governor at length determined to select from +the convicts, a certain number of persons, who were meant to be of the fairest +character, for the purpose of being formed into a nightly-watch, +for the preservation of public and private property, under the following +regulations, which, as the first system of police in a colony, +so peculiarly constituted as ours, may perhaps prove not uninteresting. + + +I. A night-watch, consisting of 12 persons, divided into four parties, +is appointed, and fully authorized to patrol at all hours in the night; +and to visit such places as may be deemed necessary, for the discovery +of any felony, trespass, or misdemeanor; and for the apprehending and securing +for examination, any person or persons who may appear to them concerned +therein, either by entrance into any suspected hut or dwelling, or by such +other measure as may seem to them expedient. + +II. Those parts in which the convicts reside are to be divided and numbered, +in the following manner. The convict huts on the eastern side of the stream, +and the public farm, are to be the first division. Those at the brick-kilns, +and the detached parties in the different private farms in that district, +are to be the second division. Those on the western side of the stream, +as far as the line which separates the district of the women from the men, +to be the third division. The huts occupied from that line to the hospital, +and from there to the observatory, to be the fourth division. + +III. Each of these districts or divisions is to be under the particular +inspection of one person, who may be judged qualified to inform himself +of the actual residence of each individual in his district; as well as +of his business, connections, and acquaintances. + +IV. Cognizance is to be taken of such convicts as may sell or barter +their slops or provisions; and also of such as are addicted to gaming for +either of the aforesaid articles, who are to be reported to the judge advocate. + +V. Any soldier or seaman found straggling after the beating of the tattoo; +or who may be found in a convict's hut, is to be detained; and information +of him immediately given to the nearest guard. + +VI. Any person who may be robbed during the night, is to give immediate +information thereof to the watch of his district, who, on the instant +of application being made, shall use the most effectual means to trace out the +offender, or offenders, so that he, she, or they, may be brought to justice. + +VII. The watch of each district is to be under the direction of one person, +who will be named for that purpose. All the patrols are placed under +the immediate inspection of Herbert Keeling. They are never to receive +any fee, gratuity, or reward, from any individual whatever, to engage +their exertions in the execution of the above trust. Nor will they receive +any stipulated encouragement for the conviction of any offender. +But their diligence and good behaviour will be rewarded by the governor. +And for this purpose their conduct will be strictly attended to, by those +who are placed in authority over them. + +VIII. The night-watch is to go out as soon as the tattoo ceases beating: +to return to their huts when the working drum beats in the morning: +and are to make their report to the judge advocate, through Herbert Keeling, +of all robberies and misdemeanors which may have been committed. +Any assistance the patrols may require, will be given to them, on applying +to the officer commanding the nearest guard; and by the civil power, +if necessary; for which last, application is to be made to the provost martial. + +IX. Any negligence on the part of those who shall be employed on this duty, +will be punished with the utmost rigour of the law. + +X. The night-watch is to consist of 12 persons. + + +Every political code, either from a defect of its constitution, or from +the corruptness of those who are entrusted to execute it, will be found +less perfect in practice than speculation had promised itself. It were, +however, prejudice to deny, that for some time following the institution +of this patrol, nightly depredations became less frequent and alarming: +the petty villains, at least, were restrained by it. And to keep even a garden +unravaged was now become a subject of the deepest concern. + +For in October our weekly allowance of provisions, which had hitherto been +eight pounds of flour, five pounds of salt pork, three pints of pease, +six ounces of butter, was reduced to five pounds five ounces of flour, +three pounds five ounces of pork, and two pints of pease. + +In order to lessen the consumption from the public stores, the 'Supply' +was ordered to touch at Lord Howe Island, in her way from Norfolk Island, +to try if turtle could be procured, for the purpose of being publicly served +in lieu of salt provisions. But she brought back only three turtles, +which were distributed in the garrison. + +December, 1789. At the request of his excellency, lieutenant Dawes +of the marines, accompanied by lieutenant Johnston and Mr. Lowes, +about this time undertook the attempt to cross the Nepean river, +and to penetrate to Carmarthen mountains. Having discovered a ford +in the river, they passed it, and proceeded in a westerly direction. +But they found the country so rugged, and the difficulty of walking +so excessive, that in three days they were able to penetrate only +fifteen miles, and were therefore obliged to relinquish their object. +This party, at the time they turned back, were farther inland than any other +persons ever were before or since, being fifty-four miles in a direct line +from the sea coast when on the summit of mount Twiss, a hill so named by them, +and which bounded their peregrination. + +Intercourse with the natives, for the purpose of knowing whether or not +the country possessed any resources, by which life might be prolonged*, +as well as on other accounts, becoming every day more desirable, +the governor resolved to make prisoners of two more of them. + +[*One of the convicts, a negro, had twice eloped, with an intention +of establishing himself in the society of the natives, with a wish to adopt +their customs and to live with them: but he was always repulsed by them; +and compelled to return to us from hunger and wretchedness.] + + +Boats properly provided, under the command of lieutenant Bradley of the +'Sirius', were accordingly dispatched on this service; and completely succeeded +in trepanning and carrying off, without opposition, two fine young men, +who were safely landed among us at Sydney. + +Nanbaree and Abaroo welcomed them on shore; calling them immediately +by their names, Baneelon (Bennelong), and Colbee. But they seemed +little disposed to receive the congratulations, or repose confidence +in the assurances of their friends. The same scenes of awkward wonder +and impatient constraint, which had attended the introduction of Arabanoo, +succeeded. Baneelon we judged to be about twenty-six years old, +of good stature, and stoutly made, with a bold intrepid countenance, +which bespoke defiance and revenge. Colbee was perhaps near thirty, +of a less sullen aspect than his comrade, considerably shorter, and not +so robustly framed, though better fitted for purposes of activity. +They had both evidently had the smallpox; indeed Colbee's face was very +thickly imprinted with the marks of it. + +Positive orders were issued by the governor to treat them indulgently, +and guard them strictly; notwithstanding which Colbee contrived to effect +his escape in about a week, with a small iron ring round his leg. +Had those appointed to watch them been a moment later, his companion +would have contrived to accompany him. + +But Baneelon, though haughty, knew how to temporize. He quickly threw off +all reserve; and pretended, nay, at particular moments, perhaps felt +satisfaction in his new state. Unlike poor Arabanoo, he became at once fond +of our viands, and would drink the strongest liquors, not simply +without reluctance, but with eager marks of delight and enjoyment. +He was the only native we ever knew who immediately shewed a fondness +for spirits: Colbee would not at first touch them. Nor was the effect +of wine or brandy upon him more perceptible than an equal quantity +would have produced upon one of us, although fermented liquor was new to him. + +In his eating, he was alike compliant. When a turtle was shown to Arabanoo, +he would not allow it to be a fish, and could not be induced to eat of it. +Baneelon also denied it to be a fish; but no common councilman in Europe +could do more justice than he did to a very fine one, that the 'Supply' +had brought from Lord Howe Island, and which was served up at the governor's +table on Christmas Day. + +His powers of mind were certainly far above mediocrity. He acquired knowledge, +both of our manners and language, faster than his predecessor had done. +He willingly communicated information; sang, danced, and capered, told us +all the customs of his country, and all the details of his family economy. +Love and war seemed his favourite pursuits; in both of which he had suffered +severely. His head was disfigured by several scars; a spear had passed +through his arm, and another through his leg. Half of one of his thumbs +was carried away; and the mark of a wound appeared on the back of his hand. +The cause and attendant circumstances of all these disasters, except one, +he related to us. + +"But the wound on the back of your hand, Baneelon! How did you get that?" + +He laughed, and owned that it was received in carrying off a lady +of another tribe by force. "I was dragging her away. She cried aloud, +and stuck her teeth in me." + +"And what did you do then?" + +"I knocked her down, and beat her till she was insensible, +and covered with blood. Then..." + +Whenever he recounted his battles, "poised his lance, and showed how fields +were won", the most violent exclamations of rage and vengeance against +his competitors in arms, those of the tribe called Cameeragal in particular, +would burst from him. And he never failed at such times to solicit +the governor to accompany him, with a body of soldiers, in order that +he might exterminate this hated name. + +Although I call him only Baneelon, he had besides several appellations, +and for a while he chose to be distinguished by that of Wolarawaree. +Again, as a mark of affection and respect to the governor, he conferred +on him the name of Wolarawaree, and sometimes called him 'Beenena' (father), +adopting to himself the name of governor. This interchange we found +is a constant symbol of friendship among them*. In a word, his temper +seemed pliant, and his relish of our society so great, that hardly any one +judged he would attempt to quit us, were the means of escape put within +his reach. Nevertheless it was thought proper to continue a watch over him. + +[*It is observable that this custom prevails as a pledge of friendship +and kindness all over Asia, and has also been mentioned by Captain Cook +to exist among the natives in the South Sea Islands.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + + +Transactions of the Colony, from the Beginning of the Year 1790 +until the End of May following. + + +Our impatience of news from Europe strongly marked the commencement +of the year. We had now been two years in the country, and thirty-two months +from England, in which long period no supplies, except what had been procured +at the Cape of Good Hope by the 'Sirius', had reached us. From intelligence +of our friends and connections we had been entirely cut off, no communication +whatever having passed with our native country since the 13th of May 1787, +the day of our departure from Portsmouth. Famine besides was approaching +with gigantic strides, and gloom and dejection overspread every countenance. +Men abandoned themselves to the most desponding reflections, and adopted +the most extravagant conjectures. + +Still we were on the tiptoe of expectation. If thunder broke at a distance, +or a fowling-piece of louder than ordinary report resounded in the woods, +"a gun from a ship" was echoed on every side, and nothing but hurry +and agitation prevailed. For eighteen months after we had landed +in the country, a party of marines used to go weekly to Botany Bay, +to see whether any vessel, ignorant of our removal to Port Jackson, +might be arrived there. But a better plan was now devised, on the suggestion +of captain Hunter. A party of seamen were fixed on a high bluff, +called the South-head, at the entrance of the harbour, on which a flag +was ordered to be hoisted, whenever a ship might appear, which should serve +as a direction to her, and as a signal of approach to us. Every officer +stepped forward to volunteer a service which promised to be so replete +with beneficial consequences. But the zeal and alacrity of captain Hunter, +and our brethren of the 'Sirius', rendered superfluous all assistance +or co-operation. + +Here on the summit of the hill, every morning from daylight until the sun sunk, +did we sweep the horizon, in hope of seeing a sail. At every fleeting speck +which arose from the bosom of the sea, the heart bounded, and the telescope +was lifted to the eye. If a ship appeared here, we knew she must be bound +to us; for on the shores of this vast ocean (the largest in the world) +we were the only community which possessed the art of navigation, +and languished for intercourse with civilized society. + +To say that we were disappointed and shocked, would very inadequately describe +our sensations. But the misery and horror of such a situation +cannot be imparted, even by those who have suffered under it. + +March, 1790. Vigorous measures were become indispensable. The governor +therefore, early in February, ordered the 'Sirius' to prepare for a voyage +to China; and a farther retrenchment of our ration, we were given +to understand, would take place on her sailing. + +But the 'Sirius' was destined not to reach China. Previously to her intended +departure on that voyage, she was ordered, in concert with the 'Supply', +to convey Major Ross, with a large detachment of marines, and more than +two hundred convicts, to Norfolk Island, it being hoped that such a division +of our numbers would increase the means of subsistence, by diversified +exertions. She sailed on the 6th of March. And on the 27th of the same month, +the following order was issued from headquarters. + + +Parole--Honour. + +Counter sign--Example. + +The expected supply of provisions not having arrived, +makes it necessary to reduce the present ration. +And the commissary is directed to issue, from the +1st of April, the under-mentioned allowance, to every +person in the settlement without distinction. + +Four pounds of flour, two pounds and a half of salt +pork, and one pound and a half of rice, per week. + + +On the 5th of April news was brought, that the flag on the South-head +was hoisted. Less emotion was created by the news than might be expected. +Every one coldly said to his neighbour, "the 'Sirius' and 'Supply' are returned +from Norfolk Island." To satisfy myself that the flag was really flying, +I went to the observatory, and looked for it through the large astronomical +telescope, when I plainly saw it. But I was immediately convinced that +it was not to announce the arrival of ships from England; for I could see +nobody near the flagstaff except one solitary being, who kept strolling around, +unmoved by what he saw. I well knew how different an effect the sight +of strange ships would produce. + +April, 1790. The governor, however, determined to go down the harbour, +and I begged permission to accompany him. Having turned a point about +half way down, we were surprised to see a boat, which was known to belong to +the 'Supply', rowing towards us. On nearer approach, I saw captain Ball +make an extraordinary motion with his hand, which too plainly indicated +that something disastrous had happened; and I could not help turning +to the governor, near whom I sat, and saying, "Sir, prepare yourself +for bad news." A few minutes changed doubt into certainty; and to our +unspeakable consternation we learned, that the 'Sirius' had been wrecked +on Norfolk Island, on the 19th of February. Happily, however, Captain Hunter, +and every other person belonging to her, were saved. + +Dismay was painted on every countenance, when the tidings were proclaimed +at Sydney. The most distracting apprehensions were entertained All hopes +were now concentred in the little 'Supply'. + +At six o'clock in the evening, all the officers of the garrison, +both civil and military, were summoned to meet the governor in council, +when the nature of our situation was fully discussed and an account +of the provisions yet remaining in store laid before the council +by the commissary. This account stated, that on the present ration* +the public stores contained salt meat sufficient to serve until the +2nd of July, flour until the 20th of August, and rice, or pease in lieu of it, +until the 1st of October. + +[*See the ration of the 27th of March, a few pages back.] + +Several regulations for the more effectual preservation of gardens, +and other private property, were proposed, and adopted and after some +interchange of opinion, the following ration was decreed to commence +immediately, a vigorous exertion to prolong existence, or the chance of relief, +being all now left to us. + + + Two pounds of pork, two pounds and a half of flour, + two pounds of rice, or a quart of pease, per week, + to every grown person, and to every child of more + than eighteen months old. + + To every child under eighteen months old, the same + quantity of rice and flour, and one pound of pork.** + + +[**When the age of this provision is recollected, its inadequacy will more +strikingly appear. The pork and rice were brought with us from England. +The pork had been salted between three and four years, and every grain +of rice was a moving body, from the inhabitants lodged within it. +We soon left off boiling the pork, as it had become so old and dry, +that it shrunk one half in its dimensions when so dressed. Our usual method +of cooking it was to cut off the daily morsel, and toast it on a fork +before the fire, catching the drops which fell on a slice of bread, +or in a saucer of rice. Our flour was the remnant of what was brought +from the Cape, by the 'Sirius', and was good. Instead of baking it, +the soldiers and convicts used to boil it up with greens.] + +The immediate departure of the 'Supply', for Batavia, was also determined. + +Nor did our zeal stop here. The governor being resolved to employ +all the boats, public and private, m procuring fish--which was intended +to be served in lieu of salt meat--all the officers, civil and military, +including the clergyman, and the surgeons of the hospital, made the voluntary +offer, in addition to their other duties, to go alternately every night +in these boats, in order to see that every exertion was made, and that all +the fish which might be caught was deposited with the commissary. + +The best marksmen of the marines and convicts were also selected, +and put under the command of a trusty sergeant, with directions to range +the woods in search of kangaroos, which were ordered, when brought in, +to be delivered to the commissary. + +And as it was judged that the inevitable fatigues of shooting and fishing +could not be supported on the common ration, a small additional quantity +of flour and pork was appropriated to the use of the game-keepers; and each +fisherman, who had been out during the preceding night had, on his return +in the morning, a pound of uncleaned fish allowed for his breakfast. + +On the 17th instant, the 'Supply', captain Ball, sailed for Batavia. +We followed her with anxious eyes until she was no longer visible. +Truly did we say to her "In te omnis domus inclinata recumbit." We were, +however, consoled by reflecting, that every thing which zeal, fortitude, +and seamanship, could produce, was concentred in her commander. + +Our bosoms consequently became less perturbed; and all our labour +and attention were turned on one object--the procuring of food. "Pride, +pomp, and circumstance of glorious war" were no more. + +The distress of the lower classes for clothes was almost equal to their +other wants. The stores had been long exhausted, and winter was at hand. +Nothing more ludicrous can be conceived than the expedients of substituting, +shifting, and patching, which ingenuity devised, to eke out wretchedness, +and preserve the remains of decency. The superior dexterity of the women +was particularly conspicuous. Many a guard have I seen mount, in which +the number of soldiers without shoes exceeded that which had yet preserved +remnants of leather. + +Nor was another part of our domestic economy less whimsical. If a lucky man, +who had knocked down a dinner with his gun, or caught a fish by angling +from the rocks, invited a neighbour to dine with him, the invitation +always ran, "bring your own bread." Even at the governor's table, +this custom was constantly observed. Every man when he sat down pulled +his bread out of his pocket, and laid it by his plate. + +The insufficiency of our ration soon diminished our execution of labour. +Both soldiers and convicts pleaded such loss of strength, as to find themselves +unable to perform their accustomed tasks. The hours of public work were +accordingly shortened or, rather, every man was ordered to do as much +as his strength would permit, and every other possible indulgence was granted. + +May, 1790. In proportion, however, as lenity and mitigation were extended +to inability and helplessness, inasmuch was the most rigorous justice executed +on disturbers of the public tranquillity. Persons detected in robbing gardens, +or pilfering provisions, were never screened because, as every man +could possess, by his utmost exertions, but a bare sufficiency to preserve +life*, he who deprived his neighbour of that little, drove him to desperation. +No new laws for the punishment of theft were enacted; but persons of all +descriptions were publicly warned, that the severest penalties, +which the existing law in its greatest latitude would authorise, +should be inflicted on offenders. The following sentence of a court +of justice, of which I was a member, on a convict detected in a garden +stealing potatoes, will illustrate the subject. He was ordered to receive +three hundred lashes immediately, to be chained for six months to two +other criminals, who were thus fettered for former offences, and to have +his allowance of flour stopped for six months. So that during the operation +of the sentence, two pounds of pork, and two pounds of rice (or in lieu +of the latter, a quart of pease) per week, constituted his whole subsistence. +Such was the melancholy length to which we were compelled to stretch +our penal system. + +[*Its preservation in some cases was found impracticable. Three or four +instances of persons who perished from want have been related to me. +One only, however, fell within my own observation. I was passing +the provision store, when a man, with a wild haggard countenance, +who had just received his daily pittance to carry home, came out. +His faltering gait, and eager devouring eye, led me to watch him, +and he had not proceeded ten steps before he fell. I ordered him +to be carried to the hospital, where, when he arrived, he was found dead. +On opening the body, the cause of death was pronounced to be inanition.] + +Farther to contribute to the detection of villainy, a proclamation, +offering a reward of sixty pounds of flour, more tempting than the ore +of Peru or Potosi, was promised to any one who should apprehend, +and bring to justice, a robber of garden ground. + +Our friend Baneelon, during this season of scarcity, was as well taken care of +as our desperate circumstances would allow. We knew not how to keep him, +and yet were unwilling to part with him. Had he penetrated our state, +perhaps he might have given his countrymen such a description of our +diminished numbers, and diminished strength, as would have emboldened them +to become more troublesome. Every expedient was used to keep him in ignorance. +His allowance was regularly received by the governor's servant, like that +of any other person, but the ration of a week was insufficient to have +kept him for a day. The deficiency was supplied by fish whenever it could be +procured, and a little Indian corn, which had been reserved was ground +and appropriated to his use. In spite of all these aids, want of food +has been known to make him furious and often melancholy. + +There is reason to believe that he had long meditated his escape, +which he effected in the night of the 3rd instant. About two o'clock +in the morning, he pretended illness, and awaking the servant who lay +in the room with him, begged to go down stairs. The other attended him +without suspicion of his design; and Baneelon no sooner found himself +in a backyard, than he nimbly leaped over a slight paling, and bade us adieu. + +The following public order was issued within the date of this chapter, +and is too pleasing a proof that universal depravity did not prevail +among the convicts, to be omitted. + + +The governor, in consequence of the unremitted good behaviour +and meritorious conduct of John Irving, is pleased to remit +the remainder of the term for which he was sentenced to +transportation. He is therefore to be considered as restored +to all those rights and privileges, which had been suspended +in consequence of the sentence of the law. And as such, +he is hereby appointed to act as an assistant to the surgeon +at Norfolk Island. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + +Transactions of the Colony in June, July, and August, 1790. + + +At length the clouds of misfortune began to separate, and on the evening +of the 3rd of June, the joyful cry of "the flag's up" resounded +in every direction. + +I was sitting in my hut, musing on our fate, when a confused clamour +in the street drew my attention. I opened my door, and saw several women +with children in their arms running to and fro with distracted looks, +congratulating each other, and kissing their infants with the most passionate +and extravagant marks of fondness. I needed no more; but instantly +started out, and ran to a hill, where, by the assistance of a pocket glass, +my hopes were realized. My next door neighbour, a brother-officer, +was with me, but we could not speak. We wrung each other by the hand, +with eyes and hearts overflowing. + +Finding that the governor intended to go immediately in his boat +down the harbour, I begged to be of his party. + +As we proceeded, the object of our hopes soon appeared: a large ship, +with English colours flying, working in, between the heads which form +the entrance of the harbour. The tumultuous state of our minds represented her +in danger; and we were in agony. Soon after, the governor, having ascertained +what she was, left us, and stepped into a fishing boat to return to Sydney. +The weather was wet and tempestuous but the body is delicate only when +the soul is at ease. We pushed through wind and rain, the anxiety of our +sensations every moment redoubling. At last we read the word 'London' +on her stern. "Pull away, my lads! She is from Old England! A few strokes +more, and we shall be aboard! Hurrah for a bellyfull, and news from +our friends!" Such were our exhortations to the boat's crew. + +A few minutes completed our wishes, and we found ourselves on board +the 'Lady Juliana' transport, with two hundred and twenty-five of our +countrywomen whom crime or misfortune had condemned to exile. We learned +that they had been almost eleven months on their passage, having left Plymouth, +into which port they had put in July, 1789. We continued to ask a thousand +questions on a breath. Stimulated by curiosity, they inquired in turn; +but the right of being first answered, we thought, lay on our side. +"Letters, letters!" was the cry. They were produced, and torn open +in trembling agitation. News burst upon us like meridian splendor +on a blind man. We were overwhelmed with it: public, private, general, +and particular. Nor was it until some days had elapsed, that we were able +to methodise it, or reduce it into form. We now heard for the first time +of our sovereign's illness, and his happy restoration to health. +The French revolution of 1789, with all the attendant circumstances +of that wonderful and unexpected event, succeeded to amaze us*. Now, too, +the disaster which had befallen the 'Guardian', and the liberal and enlarged plan +on which she had been stored and fitted out by government for our use, +was promulged. It served also, in some measure, to account why we had not +sooner heard from England. For had not the 'Guardian' struck on an island +of ice, she would probably have reached us three months before, and in this +case have prevented the loss of the 'Sirius', although she had sailed +from England three months after the 'Lady Juliana'. + +[*These words bring to my mind an anecdote, which, though rather out of place, +I shall offer no apology for introducing. Among other inquiries, we were +anxious to learn whether M. de la Peyrouse, with the two ships under +his command, bound on a voyage of discovery, had arrived in France. +We heard with concern, that no accounts of them had been received, +since they had left Botany Bay, in March, 1788. I remember when they were +at that place, one day conversing with Monsieur de la Peyrouse, about the best +method of treating savage people, "Sir" said he, "I have sometimes been +compelled to commit hostilities upon them, but never without suffering +the most poignant regret; for, independent of my own feelings on the occasion, +his Majesty's (Louis XVI) last words to me, de sa propre bouche, when I took +leave of him at Versailles, were: 'It is my express injunction, +that you always treat the Indian nations with kindness and humanity. +Gratify their wishes, and never, but in a case of the last necessity, +when self-defence requires it, shed human blood.' Are these the sentiments +of a tyrant, of a sanguinary and perfidious man?" + +A general thanksgiving to Almighty God, for his Majesty's recovery, +and happy restoration to his family and subjects, was ordered to be offered up +on the following Wednesday, when all public labour was suspended; +and every person in the settlement attended at church, where a sermon, +suited to an occasion, at once so full of gratitude and solemnity, +was preached by the Reverend Richard Johnson, chaplain of the colony. + +All the officers were afterwards entertained at dinner by the governor. +And in the evening, an address to his excellency, expressive of congratulation +and loyalty, was agreed upon; and in two days after was presented, +and very graciously received. + +The following invitation to the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers +of the marine battalion, was also about this time published. + + +In consequence of the assurance that was given to the +non-commissioned officers and men belonging to the +battalion of marines, on their embarking for the service +of this country, that such of them as should behave well, +would be allowed to quit the service, on their return +to England; or be discharged abroad, upon the relief +taking place, and permitted to settle in the country-- +His Majesty has been graciously pleased to direct the +following encouragement to be held up to such +non-commissioned officers and privates, as may be +disposed to become settlers in this country, or in any +of the islands comprised within the government of the +continent of New South Wales, on the arrival of the corps +raised and intended for the service of this colony, and +for their relief, viz: + +To every non-commissioned officer, an allotment of +one hundred and thirty acres of land, if single, and of +one hundred and fifty acres, if married. To every +private soldier, an allotment of eighty acres, if single, +and of one hundred acres if married; and also an allotment +of ten acres for every child, whether of a +non-commissioned officer, or of a private soldier. +These allotments will be free of all fines, taxes, +quit-rents, and other acknowledgments, for the space +of ten years; but after the expiration of that period, +will be subject to an annual quit-rent of one shilling +for every fifty acres. + +His Majesty has likewise been farther pleased to signify +his royal will and pleasure, that a bounty of three pounds +be offered to each non-commissioned officer and soldier, +who may be disposed to continue in this country, and +enlist in the corps appointed for the service of +New South Wales; with a farther assurance, that in case +of a proper demeanour on their part, they shall, after +a farther service of five years, be entitled to double +the former portion of land, provided they then choose +to become settlers in the country, free of all taxes, +fines, and quit-rents, for the space of fifteen years; +but after that time, to be subject to the beforementioned +annual quit-rent of one shilling for every fifty acres. + +And as a farther encouragement to those men who may be +desirous to become settlers, and continue in the country, +his Majesty has been likewise pleased to direct, that +every man shall, on being discharged, receive out of the +public store, a portion of clothing and provisions, +sufficient for his support for one year; together with +a suitable quantity of seeds, grain, etc. for the tillage +of the land; and a portion of tools and implements of +agriculture, proper for their use. And whenever any man, +who may become a settler, can maintain, feed, and clothe, +such number of convicts as may be judged necessary by +the governor, for the time being, to assist him in +clearing and cultivating the land, the service of such +convicts shall be assigned to him. + + +We were joyfully surprised on the 20th of the month to see another sail enter +the harbour. She proved to be the Justinian transport, commanded by +Captain Maitland, and our rapture was doubled on finding that she was laden +entirely with provisions for our use. Full allowance, and general +congratulation, immediately took place. This ship had left Falmouth +on the preceding 20th of January, and completed her passage exactly in +five months*. She had staid at Madeira one day, and four at Sao Tiago, +from which last place she had steered directly for New South Wales, +neglecting Rio de Janeiro on her right, and the Cape of Good Hope on her left; +and notwithstanding the immense tract of ocean she had passed, brought +her crew without sickness into harbour. When the novelty and boldness +of such an attempt shall be recollected, too much praise, on the spirit +and activity of Mr. Maitland, cannot be bestowed. + +[*Accident only prevented her from making it in eighteen days less, +for she was then in sight of the harbour's mouth, when an unpropitious gale +of wind blew her off. Otherwise she would have reached us one day sooner +than the 'Lady Juliana'. It is a curious circumstance, that these two ships +had sailed together from the river Thames, one bound to Port Jackson, +and the other bound to Jamaica. The Justinian carried her cargo to the last +mentioned place, landed it; and loaded afresh with sugars, which she returned +with, and delivered in London. She was then hired as a transport, reladen, +and sailed for New South Wales. Let it be remembered, that no material +accident had happened to either vessel. But what will not zeal +and diligence accomplish!] + +Good fortune continued to befriend us. Before the end of the month, +three more transports, having on board two companies of the +New South Wales corps, arrived to add to our society. These ships also brought +out a large body of convicts, whose state and sufferings will be best +estimated by the following return. + + +Names of No. of people No. of persons who died No. landed sick + Ships embarked on the passage at Port Jackson +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Neptune 530 163 269 + +Surprise 252 42 121 + +Scarborough 256 68 96 +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + 1038 273 486 +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +N.B. Of those landed sick, one hundred and twenty-four died +in the hospital at Sydney. + + +On our passage from England, which had lasted more than eight months +and with nearly an equal number of persons, only twenty-four had died, +and not thirty were landed sick. The difference can be accounted for, +only by comparing the manner in which each fleet was fitted out and conducted. +With us the provisions, served on board, were laid in by a contractor, +who sent a deputy to serve them out; and it became a part of duty for the +officers of the troops to inspect their quality, and to order that every one +received his just proportion. Whereas, in the fleet now arrived, +the distribution of provisions rested entirely with the masters of the +merchantmen, and the officers were expressly forbidden to interfere +in any shape farther about the convicts than to prevent their escape. + +Seventeen pounds, in full of all expense, was the sum paid by the public +for the passage of each person. And this sum was certainly competent +to afford fair profit to the merchant who contracted. But there is reason +to believe, that some of those who were employed to act for him, violated +every principle of justice, and rioted on the spoils of misery, for want of +a controlling power to check their enormities. No doubt can be entertained, +that a humane and liberal government will interpose its authority, to prevent +the repetition of such flagitious conduct. + +Although the convicts had landed from these ships with every mark of meagre +misery, yet it was soon seen, that a want of room, in which more conveniences +might have been stowed for their use, had not caused it. Several of the +masters of the transports immediately opened stores, and exposed large +quantities of goods to sale, which, though at most extortionate prices, +were eagerly bought up. + +Such was the weakly state of the new corners, that for several weeks +little real benefit to the colony was derived from so great a nominal addition +to our number. However, as fast as they recovered, employment was immediately +assigned to them. The old hours of labour, which had been reduced +in our distress, were re-established, and the most vigorous measures adopted +to give prosperity to the settlement. New buildings were immediately planned, +and large tracts of ground, at Rose-hill, ordered to be cleared, and prepared +for cultivation. Some superintendents who had arrived in the fleet, +and were hired by government for the purpose of overlooking and directing +the convicts, were found extremely serviceable in accelerating the progress +of improvement. + +July, 1790. This month was marked by nothing worth communication, +except a melancholy accident which befell a young gentleman of amiable +character (one of the midshipmen lately belonging to the 'Sirius') +and two marines. He was in a small boat, with three marines, in the harbour, +when a whale was seen near them. Sensible of their danger, they used +every effort to avoid the cause of it, by rowing in a contrary direction +from that which the fish seemed to take, but the monster suddenly arose +close to them, and nearly filled the boat with water. By exerting themselves, +they baled her out, and again steered from it. For some time it was not seen, +and they conceived themselves safe, when, rising immediately under the boat, +it lifted her to the height of many yards on its back, whence slipping off, +she dropped as from a precipice, and immediately filled and sunk. +The midshipman and one of the marines were sucked into the vortex which +the whale had made, and disappeared at once. The two other marines swam +for the nearest shore, but one only reached it, to recount the fate +of his companions. + +August, 1790. In the beginning of this month, in company with Mr. Dawes +and Mr. Worgan, late surgeon of the 'Sirius', I undertook an expedition +to the southward and westward of Rose Hill, where the country had never +been explored. We remained out seven days, and penetrated to a considerable +distance in a S.S.W. direction, bounding our course at a remarkable hill, +to which, from its conical shape, we gave the name of Pyramid-hill. +Except the discovery of a river (which is unquestionably the Nepean +near its source) to which we gave the name of the Worgan, in honour of one of +our party, nothing very interesting was remarked. + +Towards the end of the month, we made a second excursion to the north-west +of Rose Hill, when we again fell in with the Nepean, and traced it to the spot +where it had been first discovered by the party of which I was a member, +fourteen months before, examining the country as we went along. +Little doubt now subsisted that the Hawkesbury and Nepean were one river. + +We undertook a third expedition soon after to Broken Bay, which place we found +had not been exaggerated in description, whether its capacious harbour, +or its desolate incultivable shores, be considered. On all these excursions +we brought away, in small bags, as many specimens of the soil of the country +we had passed through, as could be conveniently carried, in order that +by analysis its qualities might be ascertained. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + + +Transactions of the Colony in the Beginning of September, 1790. + + +The tremendous monster who had occasioned the unhappy catastrophe +just recorded was fated to be the cause of farther mischief to us. + +On the 7th instant, Captain Nepean, of the New South Wales Corps, +and Mr. White, accompanied by little Nanbaree, and a party of men, +went in a boat to Manly Cove, intending to land there, and walk on to +Broken Bay. On drawing near the shore, a dead whale, in the most disgusting +state of putrefaction, was seen lying on the beach, and at least two hundred +Indians surrounding it, broiling the flesh on different fires, and feasting +on it with the most extravagant marks of greediness and rapture. +As the boat continued to approach, they were observed to fall into confusion +and to pick up their spears, on which our people lay upon their oars +and Nanbaree stepping forward, harangued them for some time, assuring them +that we were friends. Mr. White now called for Baneelon who, on hearing +his name, came forth, and entered into conversation. He was greatly emaciated, +and so far disfigured by a long beard, that our people not without difficulty +recognized their old acquaintance. His answering in broken English, +and inquiring for the governor, however, soon corrected their doubts. +He seemed quite friendly. And soon after Colbee came up, pointing to his leg, +to show that he had freed himself from the fetter which was upon him, +when he had escaped from us. + +When Baneelon was told that the governor was not far off, he expressed +great joy, and declared that he would immediately go in search of him, +and if he found him not, would follow him to Sydney. "Have you brought +any hatchets with you?" cried he. Unluckily they had not any which they chose +to spare; but two or three shirts, some handkerchiefs, knives, and +other trifles, were given to them, and seemed to satisfy. Baneelon, +willing to instruct his countrymen, tried to put on a shirt, but managed it +so awkwardly, that a man of the name of M'Entire, the governor's gamekeeper, +was directed by Mr. White to assist him. This man, who was well known to him, +he positively forbade to approach, eyeing him ferociously, and with every mark +of horror and resentment. He was in consequence left to himself, +and the conversation proceeded as before. The length of his beard seemed +to annoy him much, and he expressed eager wishes to be shaved, +asking repeatedly for a razor. A pair of scissors was given to him, +and he shewed he had not forgotten how to use such an instrument, +for he forthwith began to clip his hair with it. + +During this time, the women and children, to the number of more than fifty, +stood at a distance, and refused all invitations, which could be conveyed +by signs and gestures, to approach nearer. "Which of them is your old +favourite, Barangaroo, of whom you used to speak so often?" + +"Oh," said he, "she is become the wife of Colbee! But I have got +'bulla muree deein' (two large women) to compensate for her loss." + +It was observed that he had received two wounds, in addition to his former +numerous ones, since he had left us; one of them from a spear, +which had passed through the fleshy part of his arm; and the other displayed +itself in a large scar above his left eye. They were both healed, +and probably were acquired in the conflict wherein he had asserted +his pretensions to the two ladies. + +Nanbaree, all this while, though he continued to interrogate his countrymen, +and to interpret on both sides, shewed little desire to return to their +society, and stuck very close to his new friends. On being asked the cause +of their present meeting, Baneelon pointed to the whale, which stunk +immoderately, and Colbee made signals, that it was common among them +to cat until the stomach was so overladen as to occasion sickness. + +Their demand of hatchets being re-iterated, notwithstanding our refusal, +they were asked why they had not brought with them some of their own? +They excused themselves by saying, that on an occasion of the present sort, +they always left them at home, and cut up the whale with the shell +which is affixed to the end of the throwing-stick. + +Our party now thought it time to proceed on their original expedition, +and having taken leave of their sable friends, rowed to some distance, +where they landed, and set out for Broken Bay, ordering the coxswain +of the boat, in which they had come down, to go immediately and acquaint +the governor of all that had passed. When the natives saw that the boat +was about to depart, they crowded around her, and brought down, by way of +present, three or four great junks of the whale, and put them on board of her, +the largest of which, Baneelon expressly requested might be offered, +in his name, to the governor. + +It happened that his excellency had this day gone to a landmark, +which was building on the South-head, near the flag-staff, to serve as +a direction to ships at sea, and the boat met him on his return to Sydney. +Immediately on receiving the intelligence, he hastened back to the South-head, +and having procured all the fire-arms which could be mustered there, +consisting of four muskets and a pistol, set out, attended by Mr. Collins +and Lieutenant Waterhouse of the navy. + +When the boat reached Manly Cove, the natives were found still busily employed +around the whale. As they expressed not any consternation on seeing us row +to the beach, governor Phillip stepped out unarmed, and attended by one seaman +only, and called for Baneelon, who appeared, but, notwithstanding his former +eagerness, would not suffer the other to approach him for several minutes. +Gradually, however, he warmed into friendship and frankness, and presently +after Colbee came up. They discoursed for some time, Baneelon expressing +pleasure to see his old acquaintance, and inquiring by name for every person +whom he could recollect at Sydney; and among others for a French cook, +one of the governor's servants, whom he had constantly made the butt of +his ridicule, by mimicking his voice, gait, and other peculiarities, +all of which he again went through with his wonted exactness and drollery. +He asked also particularly for a lady from whom he had once ventured +to snatch a kiss; and on being told that she was well, by way of proving that +the token was fresh in his remembrance, he kissed Lieutenant Waterhouse, +and laughed aloud. On his wounds being noticed, he coldly said, that he had +received them at Botany Bay, but went no farther into their history. + +Hatchets still continued to be called for with redoubled eagerness, +which rather surprised us, as formerly they had always been accepted +with indifference. But Baneelon had probably demonstrated to them +their superiority over those of their own manufacturing. To appease their +importunity, the governor gave them a knife, some bread, pork, and other +articles, and promised that in two days he would return hither, +and bring with him hatchets to be distributed among them, which appeared +to diffuse general satisfaction. + +Baneelon's love of wine has been mentioned; and the governor, to try whether +it still subsisted, uncorked a bottle, and poured out a glass of it, +which the other drank off with his former marks of relish and good humour, +giving for a toast, as he had been taught, "The King." + +Our party now advanced from the beach but, perceiving many of the Indians +filing off to the right and left, so as in some measure to surround them, +they retreated gently to their old situation, which produced neither alarm +or offence. The others by degrees also resumed their former position. +A very fine barbed spear of uncommon size being seen by the governor, +he asked for it. But Baneelon, instead of complying with the request, +took it away, and laid it at some distance, and brought back a throwing-stick, +which he presented to his excellency. + +Matters had proceeded in this friendly train for more than half an hour, +when a native, with a spear in his hand, came forward, and stopped +at the distance of between twenty and thirty yards from the place where +the governor, Mr. Collins, Lieutenant Waterhouse, and a seaman stood. +His excellency held out his hand, and called to him, advancing towards him +at the same time, Mr. Collins following close behind. He appeared to be +a man of middle age, short of stature, sturdy, and well set, seemingly +a stranger, and but little acquainted with Baneelon and Colbee. The nearer +the governor approached, the greater became the terror and agitation +of the Indian. To remove his fear, governor Phillip threw down a dirk, +which he wore at his side. The other, alarmed at the rattle of the dirk, +and probably misconstruing the action, instantly fixed his lance +in his throwing-stick*. + +[*Such preparation is equal to what cocking a gun, and directing it +at its object, would be with us. To launch the spear, or to touch the trigger, +only remains.] + +To retreat, his excellency now thought would be more dangerous than to advance. +He therefore cried out to the man, Weeeree, Weeree, (bad; you are doing wrong) +displaying at the same time, every token of amity and confidence. +The words had, however, hardly gone forth, when the Indian, stepping back +with one foot, aimed his lance with such force and dexterity, that striking* +the governor's right shoulder, just above the collar-bone, the point +glancing downward, came out at his back, having made 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 the means of drawing her husband and others thither, +Abaroo was instructed to take her aside, and try if she could persuade her +to comply with our wish. They wandered away together accordingly, +but it was soon seen, that Barangaroo's arguments to induce Abaroo +to rejoin their society, were more powerful than those of the latter, +to prevail upon her to come among us; for it was not without manifest +reluctance, and often repeated injunctions, that Abaroo would quit +her countrywomen; and when she had done so, she sat in the boat, +in sullen silence, evidently occupied by reflection on the scene she had +left behind, and returning inclination to her former habits of life. + +Nor was a circumstance which had happened in the morning interview, perhaps, +wholly unremembered by the girl. We had hinted to Baneelon to provide +a husband for her, who should be at liberty to pass and repass +to and from Sydney, as he might choose. There was at the time, a slender +fine looking youth in company, called Imeerawanyee, about sixteen years old. +The lad, on being invited, came immediately up to her, and offered +many blandishments, which proved that he had assumed the 'toga virilis'. +But Abaroo disclaimed his advances, repeating the name of another person, +who we knew was her favourite. The young lover was not, however, +easily repulsed, but renewed his suit, on our return in the afternoon, +with such warmth of solicitation, as to cause an evident alteration +in the sentiments of the lady. + +To heighten the good humour which pervaded both parties, we began to play +and romp with them. Feats of bodily strength were tried, and their +inferiority was glaring. One of our party lifted with ease two of them +from the ground, in spite of their efforts to prevent him, whereas in return, +no one of them could move him. They called him 'murree mulla' +(a large strong man). Compared with our English labourers, their muscular +power would appear very feeble and inadequate. + +Before we parted, Baneelon informed us that his countrymen had lately +been plundered of fish-gigs, spears, a sword, and many other articles, +by some of our people, and expressed a wish that they should be restored, +promising, that if they were, the governor's dirk should be produced +and returned to us to-morrow, if we would meet him here. + +Accordingly on the following day we rowed to the spot, carrying with us +the stolen property. We found here several natives, but not Baneelon. +We asked for him, and were told that he was gone down the harbour +with Barangaroo to fish. Although disappointed at his breach of promise, +we went on shore, and mingled without distrust among those we found, +acquainting them that we had brought with us the articles of which +they had been plundered. On hearing this account, they expressed great joy, +and Imeerawanyee darting forward, claimed the sword. It was given to him, +and he had no sooner grasped it, than he hastened to convince his mistress, +that his prowess in war, was not inferior to his skill in courtship. +Singling out a yellow gum-tree for the foe, he attacked it with great +fierceness, calling to us to look on, and accompanying his onset with all +the gestures and vociferation which they use in battle. Having conquered +his enemy, he laid aside his fighting face, and joined us with a countenance +which carried in it every mark of youth and good nature. + +Whether Abaroo's coyness, and preference of another, had displeased him, +or it was owing to natural fickleness, he paid her no farther attention, +but seemed more delighted with us. He had no beard, but was highly gratified +in being combed and having his hair clipped. + +All the stolen property being brought on shore, an old man came up, +and claimed one of the fish-gigs, singling it from the bundle, +and taking only his own; and this honesty, within the circle of their society, +seemed to characterize them all. + +During this time, it was observed, that one of the Indians, instead of mixing +with the rest, stood aloof, in a musing posture, contemplating what passed. +When we offered to approach him, he shunned us not, and willingly shook hands +with all who chose to do so. He seemed to be between 30 and 40 years old, +was jolly, and had a thoughtful countenance, much marked by the smallpox. +He wore a string of bits of dried reed round his neck, which I asked him +to exchange for a black stock. He smiled at the proposal, but made no offer +of what I wanted; which our young friend, Imeerawanyee, observing, flew to him, +and taking off the necklace, directly fixed it about my neck. I feared +he would be enraged, but he bore it with serenity, and suffered a gentleman +present to fasten his black stock upon him, with which he appeared +to be pleased. To increase his satisfaction, some other trifle +was given to him. + +Having remained here an hour we went in quest of Baneelon, agreeably +to the directions which his companions pointed out. We found him +and Barangaroo shivering over a few lighted sticks, by which they were +dressing small fish, and their canoe hauled up on the beach near them. +On first seeing the boat, they ran into the woods; but on being called by name, +they came back, and consented to our landing. We carried on shore with us +the remaining part of the fish-gigs and spears which had been stolen, +and restored them to Baneelon. Among other things, was a net full of +fishing lines and other tackle, which Barangaroo said was her property +and, immediately on receiving it, she slung it around her neck. + +Baneelon inquired, with solicitude, about the state of the governor's wound, +but he made no offer of restoring the dirk; and when he was asked for it, +he pretended to know nothing of it, changing the conversation with great art, +and asking for wine, which was given to him. + +At parting, we pressed him to appoint a day on which he should come to Sydney, +assuring him, that he would be well received, and kindly treated. Doubtful, +however, of being permitted to return, he evaded our request, and declared that +the governor must first come and see him, which we promised should be done. + +The governor did not hesitate to execute the engagement which we had contracted +for him. But Baneelon still resisted coming among us, and matters continued +in this fluctuating state until the 8th of October, when a fire, +which they had agreed to light as a signal for us to visit them, was observed. +The eager desire by which we were stimulated to carry our point of effecting +an intercourse had appeared. Various parties accordingly set out to meet them, +provided with different articles, which we thought would prove acceptable +to them. We found assembled, Baneelon, Barangaroo, and another young woman, +and six men, all of whom received us with welcome, except the grave looking +gentleman before mentioned, who stood aloof in his former musing posture. +When they saw that we had brought hatchets, and other articles with us, +they produced spears, fish-gigs, and lines, for the purpose of barter,* +which immediately commenced, to the satisfaction of both parties. +I had brought with me an old blunted spear, which wanted repair. An Indian +immediately undertook to perform the task, and carrying it to a fire, +tore with his teeth a piece of bone from a fish-gig, which he fastened +on the spear with yellow gum, rendered flexible by heat. + +[*It had long been our wish to establish a commerce of this sort. It is +a painful consideration, that every previous addition to the cabinet of the +virtuosi, from this country, had wrung a tear from the plundered Indian.] + + +October, 1790. Many of them now consented to be shaved by a barber +whom we had purposely brought over. As I thought he who could perform +an operation of such importance must be deemed by them an eminent personage, +I bade him ask one of them for a fine barbed spear which he held in his hand; +but all the barber's eloquence was wasted on the Indian, who plainly +gave him to understand that he meant not to part with his spear, +without receiving an equivalent. Unfortunately, his price was a hatchet, +and the only one which I had brought with me was already disposed of +to the man who had pointed my spear. In vain did I tempt him with a knife, +a handkerchief, and a hat; nothing but a hatchet seemed to be regarded. +'Bulla mogo parrabugo' (two hatchets to-morrow) I repeatedly cried; but having +probably experienced our insincerity, he rejected the proposal with disdain. +Finding him inflexible, and longing to possess the spear, I told him +at length that I would go to Sydney and fetch what he required. This seemed +to satisfy, and he accompanied me to my boat, in which I went away, +and as quickly as possible procured what was necessary to conclude the bargain. +On my return, I was surprised to see all our boats rowing towards home, +and with them a canoe, in which sat two Indians paddling. I pulled to them, +and found that Baneelon, and another Indian, were in one of the boats, +and that the whole formed a party going over to visit the governor. +I now learned, that during my absence, the governor had passed in a boat, +on his return from Rose Hill, near the place where they were standing; +and that finding he would not come to them, although they had called to him +to do so, they had at once determined to venture themselves unreservedly +among us. One of the men in the canoe was the person to whom I was to give +the hatchet I had been to fetch; and directly as he saw me, +he held up his spear, and the exchange took place, with which, and perhaps +to reward me for the trouble I had taken, he was so delighted +that he presented me with a throwing-stick 'gratis'. + +Not seeing Barangaroo of the party, I asked for her, and was informed +that she had violently opposed Baneelon's departure. When she found +persuasion vain, she had recourse to tears, scolding, and threats, +stamping the ground, and tearing her hair. But Baneelon continuing determined, +she snatched up in her rage one of his fish-gigs, and dashed it with such fury +on the rocks, that it broke. To quiet her apprehensions on the score +of her husband's safety, Mr. Johnson, attended by Abaroo, agreed to remain +as a hostage until Baneelon should return. + +We landed our four friends opposite the hospital, and set out for the +governor's house. On hearing of their arrival, such numbers flocked +to view them that we were apprehensive the crowd of persons would alarm them, +but they had left their fears behind, and marched on with boldness +and unconcern. When we reached the governor's house, Baneelon expressed +honest joy to see his old friend, and appeared pleased to find that he had +recovered of his wound. The governor asked for Wileemarin, and they said +he was at Broken Bay. Some bread and beef were distributed among them +but unluckily no fish was to be procured, which we were sorry for, +as a promise of it had been one of the leading temptations by which +they had been allured over. A hatchet apiece was, however, given to them, +and a couple of petticoats and some fishing tackle sent for Barangaroo, +and the other woman. + +The ceremony of introduction being finished, Baneelon seemed to consider +himself quite at home, running from room to room with his companions, +and introducing them to his old friends, the domestics, in the most +familiar manner. Among these last, he particularly distinguished +the governor's orderly sergeant, whom he kissed with great affection, +and a woman who attended in the kitchen; but the gamekeeper, M'Entire*, +he continued to hold in abhorrence, and would not suffer his approach. + +[*Look at the account of the governor being wounded, when his detestation +of this man burst forth.] + +Nor was his importance to his countrymen less conspicuous in other respects. +He undertook to explain the use and nature of those things which were new +to them. Some of his explanations were whimsical enough. Seeing, +for instance, a pair of snuffers, he told them that they were +"Nuffer* for candle,"--which the others not comprehending, he opened +the snuffers, and holding up the fore-finger of his left hand, to represent +a candle, made the motion of snuffing it. Finding, that even this sagacious +interpretation failed, he threw down the snuffers in a rage, and reproaching +their stupidity, walked away. + +[*The S is a letter which they cannot pronounce, having no sound +in their language similar to it. When bidden to pronounce sun, +they always say tun; salt, talt, and so of all words wherein it occurs.] + +It was observed, that a soft gentle tone of voice, which we had taught him +to use, was forgotten, and his native vociferation returned in full force. +But the tenderness which (like Arabanoo) he had always manifested to children, +he still retained; as appeared by his behaviour to those who were presented +to him. + +The first wish they expressed to return, was complied with, in order to banish +all appearance of constraint, the party who had conducted them to Sydney +returning with them. When we reached the opposite shore, we found Abaroo +and the other woman fishing in a canoe, and Mr. Johnson and Barangaroo sitting +at the fire, the latter employed in manufacturing fish-hooks. At a little +distance, on an adjoining eminence, sat an Indian, with his spear in his hand, +as if sentinel over the hostages, for the security of his countrymen's return. +During our absence, Barangaroo had never ceased whining, and reproaching +her husband. Now that he was returned, she met him with unconcern, +and seemed intent on her work only, but this state of repose did not +long continue. Baneelon, eyeing the broken fish-gig, cast at her a look +of savage fury and began to interrogate her, and it seemed more than probable +that the remaining part would be demolished about her head had we not +interposed to pacify him. Nor would we quit the place until his forgiveness +was complete, and his good humour restored. No sooner, however, did she find +her husband's rage subsided, than her hour of triumph commenced. +The alarm and trepidation she had manifested disappeared. Elated at his +condescension, and emboldened by our presence and the finery in which +we had decked her, she in turn assumed a haughty demeanour, refused to answer +his caresses, and viewed him with a reproaching eye. Although long absence +from female society had somewhat blunted our recollection, the conduct +of Barangaroo did not appear quite novel to us, nor was our surprise +very violent at finding that it succeeded in subduing Baneelon who, +when we parted, seemed anxious only to please her. + +Thus ended a day, the events of which served to complete what an unhappy +accident had begun. From this time our intercourse with the natives, +though partially interrupted, was never broken off. We gradually continued, +henceforth, to gain knowledge of their customs and policy, the only knowledge +which can lead to a just estimate of national character. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + + +The arrival of the 'Supply' from Batavia; +the State of the Colony in November, 1790. + + +Joy sparkled in every countenance to see our old friend the 'Supply' +(I hope no reader will be so captious as to quarrel with the phrase) +enter the harbour from Batavia on the 19th of October. We had witnessed +her departure with tears; we hailed her return with transport. + +Captain Ball was rather more than six months in making this voyage, +and is the first person who ever circumnavigated the continent of New Holland. +On his passage to Batavia, he had discovered several islands, which he gave +names to and, after fighting his way against adverse elements and through +unexplored dangers, safely reached his destined port. He had well stored +his little bark with every necessary and conveniency which he judged +we should first want, leaving a cargo of rice and salt provisions +to be brought on by a Dutch snow, which he had hired and freighted for the use +of the settlement. While at Batavia, the 'Supply' had lost many of her people +by sickness, and left several others in the general hospital at that place. + +As the arrival of the 'Supply' naturally leads the attention from other subjects +to the state of the colony, I shall here take a review of it by transcribing +a statement drawn from actual observation soon after, exactly as I find it +written in my journal. + +Cultivation, on a public scale, has for some time past been given up here, +(Sydney) the crop of last year being so miserable, as to deter from +farther experiment, in consequence of which the government-farm is abandoned, +and the people who were fixed on it have been removed. Necessary public +buildings advance fast; an excellent storehouse of large dimensions, +built of bricks and covered with tiles, is just completed; and another planned +which will shortly be begun. Other buildings, among which I heard the governor +mention an hospital and permanent barracks for the troops, may also be +expected to arise soon. Works of this nature are more expeditiously performed +than heretofore, owing, I apprehend, to the superintendants lately arrived, +who are placed over the convicts and compel them to labour. +The first difficulties of a new country being subdued may also contribute +to this comparative facility. + +Vegetables are scarce, although the summer is so far advanced, owing to +want of rain. I do not think that all the showers of the last four months +put together, would make twenty-four hours rain. Our farms, what with this +and a poor soil, are in wretched condition. My winter crop of potatoes, +which I planted in days of despair (March and April last), turned out +very badly when I dug them about two months back. Wheat returned so poorly +last harvest, that very little, besides Indian corn, has been sown this year. +The governor's wound is quite healed, and he feels no inconveniency whatever +from it. With the natives we are hand and glove. They throng the camp +every day, and sometimes by their clamour and importunity for bread and meat +(of which they now all eat greedily) are become very troublesome. God knows, +we have little enough for ourselves! Full allowance (if eight pounds of flour +and either seven pounds of beef, or four pounds of pork, served alternately, +per week, without either pease, oatmeal, spirits, butter, or cheese, +can be called so) is yet kept up; but if the Dutch snow does not arrive soon +it must be shortened, as the casks in the storehouse, I observed yesterday, +are woefully decreased. + +The convicts continue to behave pretty well; three only have been hanged +since the arrival of the last fleet, in the latter end of June, all of whom +were newcomers. The number of convicts here diminishes every day; +our principal efforts being wisely made at Rose Hill, where the land +is unquestionably better than about this place. Except building, sawing +and brickmaking, nothing of consequence is now carried on here. The account +which I received a few days ago from the brickmakers of their labours, +was as follows. Wheeler (one of the master brick-makers) with two tile stools +and one brick stool, was tasked to make and burn ready for use 30000 tiles +and bricks per month. He had twenty-one hands to assist him, who performed +every thing; cut wood, dug clay, etc. This continued (during the days +of distress excepted, when they did what they could) until June last. +From June, with one brick and two tile stools he has been tasked to make +40000 bricks and tiles monthly (as many of each sort as may be), having +twenty-two men and two boys to assist him, on the same terms of procuring +materials as before. They fetch the clay of which tiles are made, +two hundred yards; that for bricks is close at hand. He says that the bricks +are such as would be called in England, moderately good, and he judges +they would have fetched about 24 shillings per thousand at Kingston-upon-Thames +(where he resided) in the year 1784. Their greatest fault is being +too brittle. The tiles he thinks not so good as those made about London. +The stuff has a rotten quality, and besides wants the advantage +of being ground, in lieu of which they tread it. + +King (another master bricklayer) last year, with the assistance of sixteen men +and two boys, made 11,000 bricks weekly, with two stools. During short +allowance did what he could. Resumed his old task when put again +on full allowance and had his number of assistants augmented to twenty men +and two boys, on account of the increased distance of carrying wood +for the kilns. He worked at Hammersmith, for Mr. Scot, of that place. +He thinks the bricks made here as good as those made near London, and says that +in the year 1784, they would have sold for a guinea per thousand and to have +picked the kiln at thirty shillings.' + +Such is my Sydney detail dated the 12th of November, 1790. Four days +after I went to Rose Hill, and wrote there the subjoined remarks. + +November 16th. Got to Rose Hill in the evening. Next morning walked round +the whole of the cleared and cultivated land, with the Rev. Mr. Johnson, +who is the best farmer in the country. Edward Dod, one of the governor's +household, who conducts everything here in the agricultural line, +accompanied us part of the way, and afforded all the information he could. +He estimates the quantity of cleared and cultivated land at 200 acres. +Of these fifty-five are in wheat, barley, and a little oats, thirty in maize, +and the remainder is either just cleared of wood, or is occupied by buildings, +gardens, etc. Four enclosures of twenty acres each, are planned for +the reception of cattle, which may arrive in the colony, and two of these +are already fenced in. In the centre of them is to be erected a house, +for a person who will be fixed upon to take care of the cattle. All these +enclosures are supplied with water; and only a part of the trees which grew in +them being cut down, gives to them a very park-like and beautiful appearance. + +Our survey commenced on the north side of the river. Dod says he expects +this year's crop of wheat and barley from the fifty-five acres to yield +full 400 bushels. Appearances hitherto hardly indicate so much. He says +he finds the beginning of May the best time to sow barley,* but that it may +continue to be sown until August. That sown in May is reaped in December; +that of August in January. He sowed his wheat, part in June and part in July. +He thinks June the best time, and says that he invariably finds that which is +deepest sown, grows strongest and best, even as deep as three inches +he has put it in, and found it to answer. The wheat sown in June is now +turning yellow; that of July is more backward. He has used only the broad-cast +husbandry, and sowed two bushels per acre. The plough has never yet been +tried here; all the ground is hoed, and (as Dod confesses) very incompetently +turned up. Each convict labourer was obliged to hoe sixteen rods a day, +so that in some places the earth was but just scratched over. The ground +was left open for some months, to receive benefit from the sun and air; +and on that newly cleared the trees were burnt, and the ashes dug in. +I do not find that a succession of crops has yet been attempted; +surely it would help to meliorate and improve the soil. Dod recommends +strongly the culture of potatoes, on a large scale, and says that were they +planted even as late as January they would answer, but this I doubt. +He is more than ever of opinion that without a large supply of cattle nothing +can be done. They have not at this time either horse, cow, or sheep here. +I asked him how the stock they had was coming on. The fowls he said +multiplied exceedingly, but the hogs neither thrived or increased in number, +for want of food. He pointed out to us his best wheat, which looks tolerable, +and may perhaps yield 13 or 14 bushels per acre**. Next came the oats +which are in ear, though not more than six inches high: they will not return +as much seed as was sown. The barley, except one patch in a corner of a field, +little better than the oats. Crossed the river and inspected the south side. +Found the little patch of wheat at the bottom of the crescent very bad. +Proceeded and examined the large field on the ascent to the westward: +here are about twenty-five acres of wheat, which from its appearance +we guessed would produce perhaps seven bushels an acre. The next patch +to this is in maize, which looks not unpromising; some of the stems are stout, +and beginning to throw out large broad leaves, the surest sign of vigour. +The view from the top of the wheat field takes in, except a narrow slip, +the whole of the cleared land at Rose Hill. From not having before seen +an opening of such extent for the last three years, this struck us as grand +and capacious. The beautiful diversity of the ground (gentle hill and dale) +would certainly be reckoned pretty in any country. Continued our walk, +and crossed the old field, which is intended to form part of the main street +of the projected town. The wheat in this field is rather better, but not much, +than in the large field before mentioned. The next field is maize, +inferior to what we have seen, but not despicable. An acre of maize, +at the bottom of the marine garden, is equal in luxuriancy of promise to any +I ever saw in any country. + +[*The best crop of barley ever produced in New South Wales, was sown by +a private individual, in February 1790, and reaped in the following October.] + +[**As all the trees on our cleared ground were cut down, and not grubbed up, +the roots and stumps remain, on which account a tenth part of surface +in every acre must be deducted. This is slovenly husbandry; but in a country +where immediate subsistence is wanted, it is perhaps necessary. None of these +stumps, when I left Port Jackson, showed any symptoms of decay, though some +of the trees had been cut down four years. To the different qualities +of the wood of Norfolk Island and New South Wales, perhaps the difference +of soil may in some measure be traced. That of Norfolk Island is light +and porous: it rots and turns into mould in two years. Besides its hardness +that of Port Jackson abounds with red corrosive gum, which contributes +its share of mischief.] + + +The main street of the new town is already begun. It is to be a mile long, +and of such breadth as will make Pall Mall and Portland Place "hide their +diminished heads." It contains at present thirty-two houses completed, +of twenty-four feet by twelve each, on a ground floor only, built of wattles +plastered with clay, and thatched. Each house is divided into two rooms, +in one of which is a fire place and a brick chimney. These houses are designed +for men only; and ten is the number of inhabitants allotted to each; +but some of them now contain twelve or fourteen, for want of better +accommodation. More are building. In a cross street stand nine houses +for unmarried women; and exclusive of all these are several small huts +where convict families of good character are allowed to reside. +Of public buildings, besides the old wooden barrack and store, there is +a house of lath and plaster, forty-four feet long by sixteen wide, +for the governor, on a ground floor only, with excellent out-houses +and appurtenances attached to it. A new brick store house, covered with tiles, +100 feet long by twenty-four wide, is nearly completed, and a house +for the store-keeper. The first stone of a barrack, 100 feet long +by twenty-four wide, to which are intended to be added wings for the officers, +was laid to-day. The situation of the barrack is judicious, being close +to the store-house, and within a hundred and fifty yards of the wharf, +where all boats from Sydney unload. To what I have already enumerated, +must be added an excellent barn, a granary, an inclosed yard to rear stock in, +a commodious blacksmith's shop, and a most wretched hospital, totally destitute +of every conveniency. Luckily for the gentleman who superintends +this hospital, and still more luckily for those who are doomed in case +of sickness to enter it, the air of Rose Hill has hitherto been +generally healthy. A tendency to produce slight inflammatory disorders, +from the rapid changes* of the temperature of the air, is most to be dreaded. + +[*In the close of the year 1788, when this settlement was established, +the thermometer has been known to stand at 50 degrees a little before sunrise, +and between one and two o' clock in the afternoon at above 100 degrees.] + + +'The hours of labour for the convicts are the same here as at Sydney. +On Saturdays after ten o'clock in the morning they are allowed to work +in their own gardens. These gardens are at present, from the long drought +and other causes, in a most deplorable state. Potatoes, I think, +thrive better than any other vegetable in them. For the public conveniency +a baker is established here in a good bakehouse, who exchanges with every +person bread for flour, on stipulated terms; but no compulsion exists +for any one to take his bread; it is left entirely to every body's own option +to consume his flour as he pleases. Divine service is performed here, +morning and afternoon, one Sunday in every month, when all the convicts +are obliged to attend church, under penalty of having a part of their allowance +of provisions stopped, which is done by the chaplain, who is a +justice of the peace. + +'For the punishment of offenders, where a criminal court is not judged +necessary, two or more justices, occasionally assemble, and order +the infliction of slight corporal punishment, or short confinement +in a strong room built for this purpose. The military present here consists +of two subalterns, two sergeants, three corporals, a drummer, and twenty-one +privates. These have been occasionally augmented and reduced, as circumstances +have been thought to render it necessary. + +Brick-kilns are now erected here, and bricks manufactured by a convict +of the name of Becket, who came out in the last fleet, and has fifty-two people +to work under him. He makes 25,000 bricks weekly. He says that they are +very good, and would sell at Birmingham, where he worked about eighteen months +ago, at more than 30 shillings per thousand. + +Nothing farther of public nature remaining to examine, I next visited +a humble adventurer, who is trying his fortune here. James Ruse, convict, +was cast for seven years at Bodmin assizes, in August 1782. He lay five years +in prison and on board the 'Dunkirk' hulk at Plymouth, and then was sent +to this country. When his term of punishment expired, in August 1789, +he claimed his freedom, and was permitted by the governor, on promising +to settle in the country, to take in December following, an uncleaned piece +of ground, with an assurance that if he would cultivate it, it should not +be taken from him. Some assistance was given him, to fell the timber, +and he accordingly began. His present account to me was as follows. + + +I was bred a husbandman, near Launcester in Cornwall. +I cleared my land as well as I could, with the help +afforded me. The exact limit of what ground I am to have, +I do not yet know; but a certain direction has been +pointed out to me, in which I may proceed as fast as I +can cultivate. I have now an acre and a half in bearded +wheat, half an acre in maize, and a small kitchen garden. +On my wheat land I sowed three bushels of seed, the +produce of this country, broad cast. I expect to reap +about twelve or thirteen bushels. I know nothing of +the cultivation of maize, and cannot therefore guess +so well at what I am likely to gather. I sowed part +of my wheat in May, and part in June. That sown in May +has thrived best. My maize I planted in the latter end +of August, and the beginning of September. My land I +prepared thus: having burnt the fallen timber off the +ground, I dug in the ashes, and then hoed it up, never +doing more than eight, or perhaps nine, rods in a day, +by which means, it was not like the government farm, +just scratched over, but properly done. Then I +clod-moulded it, and dug in the grass and weeds. This +I think almost equal to ploughing. I then let it lie +as long as I could, exposed to air and sun; and just +before I sowed my seed, turned it all up afresh. When +I shall have reaped my crop, I purpose to hoe it again, +and harrow it fine, and then sow it with turnip-seed, +which will mellow and prepare it for next year. My +straw, I mean to bury in pits, and throw in with it +every thing which I think will rot and turn to manure. +I have no person to help me, at present, but my wife, +whom I married in this country; she is industrious. +The governor, for some time, gave me the help of a +convict man, but he is taken away. Both my wife and +myself receive our provisions regularly at the store, +like all other people. My opinion of the soil of my +farm, is, that it is middling, neither good or bad. +I will be bound to make it do with the aid of manure, +but without cattle it will fail. The greatest check +upon me is, the dishonesty of the convicts who, in +spite of all my vigilance, rob me almost every night. + + +The annexed return will show the number of persons of all descriptions +at Rose Hill, at this period. On the morning of the 17th, I went down +to Sydney. + +Here terminates the transcription of my diary. It were vain to suppose, +that it can prove either agreeable or interesting to a majority of readers but +as this work is intended not only for amusement, but information, I considered +it right to present this detail unaltered, either in its style or arrangement. + + +A return of the number of persons employed at Rose Hill, November 16th, 1790. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +How Employed | Troops | Civil dept | Troops | Convicts | + | | |Wives | Children| Men | Women | Children| +------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +Storekeeper 1 +Surgeon 1 +Carpenters 24 +Blacksmiths 5 +Master Bricklayer 1 +Bricklayers 28 +Master Brickmaker 1 +Brickmakers 52 +Labourers 326* +Assistants to the +provision store 4 +Assistants to the +hospital 3 +Officers' servants 6 +Making Clothing 50 +Superintendants 4 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------- +Total number of +persons 552| 29 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 450 | 50 | 13 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +[*Of these labourers, 16 are sawyers. The rest are variously employed +in clearing fresh land; in dragging brick and timber carts; +and a great number in making a road of a mile long, through the main street, +to the governor's house.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + + +Farther Transactions of the Colony in November, 1790. + + +During the intervals of duty, our greatest source of entertainment now lay in +cultivating the acquaintance of our new friends, the natives. Ever liberal +of communication, no difficulty but of understanding each other subsisted +between us. Inexplicable contradictions arose to bewilder our researches +which no ingenuity could unravel and no credulity reconcile. + +Baneelon, from being accustomed to our manners, and understanding a little +English, was the person through whom we wished to prosecute inquiry, but he had +lately become a man of so much dignity and consequence, that it was not always +easy to obtain his company. Clothes had been given to him at various times, +but he did not always condescend to wear them. One day he would appear +in them, and the next day he was to be seen carrying them in a net slung +around his neck. Farther to please him, a brick house of twelve feet square +was built for his use, and for that of such of his countrymen as might choose +to reside in it, on a point of land fixed upon by himself. A shield, +double cased with tin, to ward off the spears of his enemies, was also +presented to him, by the governor. + +Elated by these marks of favour, and sensible that his importance with +his countrymen arose in proportion to our patronage of him, he warmly attached +himself to our society. But the gratitude of a savage is ever a precarious +tenure. That of Baneelon was fated to suffer suspension, and had well nigh +been obliterated by the following singular circumstance. + +One day the natives were observed to assemble in more than an ordinary number +at their house on the point, and to be full of bustle and agitation, +repeatedly calling on the name of Baneelon, and that of 'deein' (a woman). +Between twelve and one o'clock Baneelon, unattended, came to the governor +at his house, and told him that he was going to put to death a woman +immediately, whom he had brought from Botany Bay. Having communicated +his intention, he was preparing to go away, seeming not to wish that +the governor should be present at the performance of the ceremony. +But His Excellency was so struck with the fierce gestures, and wild demeanour +of the other, who held in his hand one of our hatchets and frequently tried +the sharpness of it, that he determined to accompany him, taking with him +Mr. Collins and his orderly sergeant. On the road, Baneelon continued +to talk wildly and incoherently of what he would do, and manifested +such extravagant marks of fury and revenge, that his hatchet was taken away +from him, and a walking-stick substituted for it. + +When they reached the house, they found several natives, of both sexes +lying promiscuously before the fire, and among them a young woman, not more +than sixteen years old, who at sight of Baneelon, started, and raised +herself half up. He no sooner saw her than, snatching a sword of the country, +he ran at her, and gave her two severe wounds on the head and one on +the shoulder, before interference in behalf of the poor wretch could be made. +Our people now rushed in and seized him; but the other Indians continued +quiet spectators of what was passing, either awed by Baneelon's superiority +or deeming it a common case, unworthy of notice and interposition. +In vain did the governor by turns soothe and threaten him. In vain +did the sergeant point his musquet at him. He seemed dead to every passion +but revenge; forgot his affection to his old friends and, instead of complying +with the request they made, furiously brandished his sword at the governor, +and called aloud for his hatchet to dispatch the unhappy victim of his +barbarity. Matters now wore a serious aspect. The other Indians appeared +under the control of Baneelon and had begun to arm and prepare their spears, +as if determined to support him in his violence. + +Farther delay might have been attended with danger. The 'Supply' was therefore +immediately hailed, and an armed boat ordered to be sent on shore. +Luckily, those on board the ship had already observed the commotion +and a boat was ready, into which captain Ball, with several of his people +stepped, armed with musquets, and put off. It was reasonable to believe +that so powerful a reinforcement would restore tranquillity, but Baneelon +stood unintimidated at disparity of numbers and boldly demanded his prisoner, +whose life, he told the governor, he was determined to sacrifice, +and afterwards to cut off her head. Everyone was eager to know what could be +the cause of such inveterate inhumanity. Undaunted, he replied that her father +was his enemy, from whom he had received the wound in his forehead +beforementioned; and that when he was down in battle, and under the lance +of his antagonist, this woman had contributed to assail him. "She is now," +added he, "my property: I have ravished her by force from her tribe: +and I will part with her to no person whatever, until my vengeance +shall be glutted." + +Farther remonstrance would have been wasted. His Excellency therefore ordered +the woman to be taken to the hospital in order that her wounds might +be dressed. While this was doing, one of the natives, a young man named +Boladeree, came up and supplicated to be taken into the boat also, saying that +he was her husband, which she confirmed and begged that he might be admitted. +He was a fine well grown lad, of nineteen or twenty years old, and was one of +the persons who had been in the house in the scene just described, +which he had in no wise endeavoured to prevent, or to afford assistance +to the poor creature who had a right to his protection. + +All our people now quitted the place, leaving the exasperated Baneelon +and his associates to meditate farther schemes of vengeance. Before +they parted he gave them, however, to understand that he would follow +the object of his resentment to the hospital, and kill her there, a threat +which the governor assured him if he offered to carry into execution +he should be immediately shot. Even this menace he treated with disdain. + +To place the refugees in security, a sentinel was ordered to take post +at the door of the house, in which they were lodged. Nevertheless +they attempted to get away in the night, either from fear that we were not +able to protect them, or some apprehension of being restrained from future +liberty. When questioned where they proposed to find shelter, they said +they would go to the Cameragal tribe, with whom they should be safe. +On the following morning, Imeerawanyee* joined them, and expressed strong fears +of Baneelon's resentment. Soon after a party of natives, known to consist of +Baneelon's chosen friends, with a man of the name of Bigon, at their head, +boldly entered the hospital garden, and tried to carry off all three by force. +They were driven back and threatened, to which their leader only replied +by contemptuous insolence. + +[*This good-tempered lively lad, was become a great favourite with us, +and almost constantly lived at the governor's house. He had clothes made up +for him, and to amuse his mind, he was taught to wait at table. +One day a lady, Mrs. McArthur, wife of an officer of the garrison, dined there, +as did Nanbaree. This latter, anxious that his countryman should appear +to advantage in his new office, gave him many instructions, strictly charging +him, among other things, to take away the lady's plate, whenever she should +cross her knife and fork, and to give her a clean one. This Imeerawanyee +executed, not only to Mrs. McArthur, but to several of the other guests. +At last Nanbaree crossed his knife and fork with great gravity, casting +a glance at the other, who looked for a moment with cool indifference +at what he had done, and then turned his head another way. Stung at this +supercilious treatment, he called in rage, to know why he was not attended to, +as well as the rest of the company. But Imeerawanyee only laughed; nor could +all the anger and reproaches of the other prevail upon him to do that +for one of his countrymen, which he cheerfully continued to perform +to every other person.] + +Baneelon finding he could not succeed, withdrew himself for two days. +At length he made his appearance, attended only by his wife. Unmindful +of what had so recently happened, he marched singly up to the governor's house, +and on being refused admittance, though unarmed, attempted to force +the sentinel. The soldier spared him, but the guard was instantly sent for, +and drawn up in front of the house; not that their co-operation was necessary, +but that their appearance might terrify. His ardour now cooled, and he seemed +willing, by submission, to atone for his misconduct. His intrepid disregard +of personal risk, nay of life, could not however, but gain admiration; +though it led us to predict, that this Baneelon, whom imagination had +fondly pictured, like a second Omai, the gaze of a court and the scrutiny +of the curious, would perish untimely, the victim of his own temerity. + +To encourage his present disposition of mind, and to try if feelings +of compassion towards an enemy, could be exerted by an Indian warrior, +the governor ordered him to be taken to the hospital, that he might see +the victim of his ferocity. He complied in sullen silence. When about +to enter the room in which she lay, he appeared to have a momentary struggle +with himself, which ended his resentment. He spoke to her with kindness, +and professed sorrow for what he had done, and promised her future protection. +Barangaroo, who had accompanied him, now took the alarm: and as in shunning +one extreme we are ever likely to rush into another, she thought him perhaps +too courteous and tender. Accordingly she began to revile them both +with great bitterness, threw stones at the girl and attempted to beat her +with a club. + +Here terminated this curious history, which I leave to the reader's +speculation. Whether human sacrifices of prisoners be common among them +is a point which all our future inquiry never completely determined. +It is certain that no second instance of this sort was ever witnessed by us. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + + +Transactions of the Colony in Part of December, 1790. + + +On the 9th of the month, a sergeant of marines, with three convicts, +among whom was McEntire, the governor's gamekeeper (the person of whom +Baneelon had, on former occasions, shown so much dread and hatred) went out +on a shooting party. Having passed the north arm of Botany Bay, +they proceeded to a hut formed of boughs, which had been lately erected +on this peninsula, for the accommodation of sportsmen who wished to continue +by night in the woods; for, as the kangaroos in the day-time, chiefly keep +in the cover, it is customary on these parties to sleep until near sunset, +and watch for the game during the night, and in the early part of the morning. +Accordingly, having lighted a fire, they lay down, without distrust +or suspicion. + +About one o'clock, the sergeant was awakened by a rustling noise in the bushes +near him, and supposing it to proceed from a kangaroo, called to his comrades, +who instantly jumped up. On looking about more narrowly, they saw two natives +with spears in their hands, creeping towards them, and three others a little +farther behind. As this naturally created alarm, McEntire said, +"don't be afraid, I know them," and immediately laying down his gun, +stepped forward, and spoke to them in their own language. The Indians, +finding they were discovered, kept slowly retreating, and McEntire +accompanied them about a hundred yards, talking familiarly all the while. + +One of them now jumped on a fallen tree and, without giving the least warning +of his intention, launched his spear at McEntire and lodged it in his +left side. The person who committed this wanton act was described as +a young man with a speck or blemish on his left eye That he had been lately +among us was evident from his being newly shaved. + +The wounded man immediately drew back and, joining his party, cried, +"I am a dead man". While one broke off the end of the spear, the other two +set out with their guns in pursuit of the natives; but their swiftness of foot +soon convinced our people of the impossibility of reaching them. It was now +determined to attempt to carry McEntire home, as his death was apprehended +to be near, and he expressed a longing desire not to be left to expire +in the woods. Being an uncommonly robust muscular man, notwithstanding +a great effusion of blood, he was able, with the assistance of his comrades, +to creep slowly along, and reached Sydney about two o'clock the next morning. +On the wound being examined by the surgeons, it was pronounced mortal. +The poor wretch now began to utter the most dreadful exclamations, +and to accuse himself of the commission of crimes of the deepest dye, +accompanied with such expressions of his despair of God's mercy, +as are too terrible to repeat. + +In the course of the day, Colbee, and several more natives came in, +and were taken to the bed where the wounded man lay. Their behaviour +indicated that they had already heard of the accident, as they repeated twice +or thrice the name of the murderer Pimelwi, saying that he lived at Botany Bay. +To gain knowledge of their treatment of similar wounds, one of the surgeons +made signs of extracting the spear, but this they violently opposed, +and said, if it were done, death would instantly follow. + +On the 12th, the extraction of the spear was, however, judged practicable, +and was accordingly performed. That part of it which had penetrated the body +measured seven inches and a half long, having on it a wooden barb, +and several smaller ones of stone, fastened on with yellow gum, most of which, +owing to the force necessary in extraction, were torn off and lodged +in the patient. The spear had passed between two ribs, and had wounded +the left lobe of the lungs. He lingered* until the 20th of January, and then +expired. On opening the corpse, it was found that the left lung had perished +from suppuration, its remains adhering to the ribs. Some pieces of stone, +which had dropped from the spear were seen, but no barb of wood. + +[*From the aversion uniformly shown by all the natives to this unhappy man, +he had long been suspected by us of having in his excursions, shot and injured +them. To gain information on this head from him, the moment of contrition +was seized. On being questioned with great seriousness, he, however, +declared that he had never fired but once on a native, and then had not killed, +but severely wounded him and this in his own defence. Notwithstanding +this death-bed confession, most people doubted the truth of the relation, +from his general character and other circumstances.] + +The governor was at Rose-hill when this accident happened. On the day after +he returned to Sydney, the following order was issued: + + +Several tribes of the natives still continuing to throw +spears at any man they meet unarmed, by which several +have been killed, or dangerously wounded, the governor, +in order to deter the natives from such practices in +future, has ordered out a party to search for the man +who wounded the convict McEntire, in so dangerous a +manner on Friday last, though no offence was offered +on his part, in order to make a signal example of that +tribe. At the same time, the governor strictly forbids, +under penalty of the severest punishment, any soldier +or other person, not expressly ordered out for that +purpose, ever to fire on any native except in his own +defence; or to molest him in any shape, or to bring away +any spears, or other articles which they may find +belonging to those people. The natives will be made +severe examples of whenever any man is wounded by them; +but this will be done in a manner which may satisfy them +that it is a punishment inflicted on them for their own +bad conduct, and of which they cannot be made sensible +if they are not treated with kindness while they continue +peaceable and quiet. + +A party, consisting of two captains, two subalterns, +and forty privates, with a proper number of non-commissioned +officers from the garrison, with three days provisions, +etc. are to be ready to march to-morrow morning at day-light, +in order to bring in six of those natives who reside near +the head of Botany Bay; or, if that should be found +impracticable, to put that number to death. + + +Just previous to this order being issued, the author of this publication +received a direction to attend the governor at head quarters immediately. +I went, and his excellency informed me that he had pitched upon me to execute +the foregoing command. He added that the two subalterns who were to be drawn +from the marine corps, should be chosen by myself; that the sergeant +and the two convicts who were with McEntire, should attend as guides; +that we were to proceed to the peninsula at the head of Botany Bay; and thence, +or from any part of the north arm of the bay, we were, if practicable, +to bring away two natives as prisoners; and to put to death ten; that we were +to destroy all weapons of war but nothing else; that no hut was to be burned; +that all women and children were to remain uninjured, not being comprehended +within the scope of the order; that our operations were to be directed +either by surprise or open force; that after we had made any prisoners, +all communication, even with those natives with whom we were in habits +of intercourse, was to be avoided, and none of them suffered to approach us. +That we were to cut off and bring in the heads of the slain; for which purpose +hatchets and bags would be furnished. And finally, that no signal of amity +or invitation should be used in order to allure them to us; or if made +on their part, to be answered by us: for that such conduct would be not only +present treachery, but give them reason to distrust every future mark of peace +and friendship on our part. + +His excellency was now pleased to enter into the reasons which had induced him +to adopt measures of such severity. He said that since our arrival +in the country, no less than seventeen of our people had either been killed +or wounded by the natives; that he looked upon the tribe known by the name of +Bideegal, living on the beforementioned peninsula, and chiefly on the north arm +of Botany Bay, to be the principal aggressors; that against this tribe +he was determined to strike a decisive blow, in order, at once to convince them +of our superiority and to infuse an universal terror, which might operate +to prevent farther mischief. That his observations on the natives had led him +to conclude that although they did not fear death individually, yet that +the relative weight and importance of the different tribes appeared to be +the highest object of their estimation, as each tribe deemed its strength +and security to consist wholly in its powers, aggregately considered. +That his motive for having so long delayed to use violent measures +had arisen from believing, that in every former instance of hostility, +they had acted either from having received injury, or from misapprehension. + +"To the latter of these causes," added he, "I attribute my own wound, +but in this business of McEntire, I am fully persuaded that they were +unprovoked, and the barbarity of their conduct admits of no extenuation; +for I have separately examined the sergeant, of whose veracity I have +the highest opinion, and the two convicts; and their story is short, +simple, and alike. I have in vain tried to stimulate Baneelon, Colbee, +and the other natives who live among us, to bring in the aggressor. +Yesterday, indeed, they promised me to do it, and actually went away +as if bent on such a design; but Baneelon, instead of directing his steps +to Botany Bay, crossed the harbour in his canoe, in order to draw the foreteeth +of some of the young men; and Colbee, in the room of fulfilling his engagement, +is loitering about the lookout house. Nay, so far from wishing even +to describe faithfully the person of the man who has thrown the spear, +they pretended that he has a distorted foot, which is a palpable falsehood. +So that we have our efforts only to depend upon; and I am resolved to execute +the prisoners who may be brought in, in the most public and exemplary manner, +in the presence of as many of their countrymen as can be collected, +after having explained the cause of such a punishment; and my fixed +determination to repeat it, whenever any future breach of good conduct +on their side shall render it necessary." + +Here the governor stopped, and addressing himself to me, said if I could +propose any alteration of the orders under which I was to act, he would +patiently listen to me. Encouraged by this condescension, I begged leave +to offer for consideration whether, instead of destroying ten persons, +the capture of six would not better answer all the purposes for which +the expedition was to be undertaken; as out of this number, a part might +be set aside for retaliation; and the rest, at a proper time, liberated, +after having seen the fate of their comrades and being made sensible +of the cause of their own detention. + +This scheme, his Excellency was pleased instantly to adopt, adding, +"if six cannot be taken, let this number be shot. Should you, however, +find it practicable to take so many, I will hang two and send the rest +to Norfolk Island for a certain period, which will cause their countrymen +to believe that we have dispatched them secretly." The order was accordingly +altered to its present form; and I took my leave to prepare, after being again +cautioned not to deceive by holding signals of amity. + +At four o'clock on the morning of the 14th we marched The detachment +consisted, besides myself, of Captain Hill of the New South Wales Corps, +Lieutenants Poulder and Dawes, of the marines, Mr. Worgan and Mr. Lowes, +surgeons, three sergeants, three corporals, and forty private soldiers, +provided with three days provisions, ropes to bind our prisoners with, +and hatchets and bags to cut off and contain the heads of the slain. +By nine o'clock this terrific procession reached the peninsula at the head +of Botany Bay, but after having walked in various directions until four o'clock +in the afternoon, without seeing a native, we halted for the night. + +At daylight on the following morning our search recommenced. We marched +in an easterly direction, intending to fall in with the south-west arm +of the bay, about three miles above its mouth, which we determined to scour, +and thence passing along the head of the peninsula, to proceed to +the north arm, and complete our Search. However, by a mistake of our guides, +at half past seven o'clock instead of finding ourselves on the south-west arm, +we came suddenly upon the sea shore, at the head of the peninsula, +about midway between the two arms. Here we saw five Indians on the beach, +whom we attempted to surround; but they penetrated our design, and before +we could get near enough to effect our purpose, ran off. We pursued; +but a contest between heavy-armed Europeans, fettered by ligatures, +and naked unencumbered Indians, was too unequal to last long. They darted +into the wood and disappeared. + +The alarm being given, we were sensible that no hope of success remained, +but by a rapid movement to a little village (if five huts deserve the name) +which we knew stood on the nearest point of the north arm, where possibly +someone unapprised of our approach, might yet be found. Thither we hastened; +but before we could reach it three canoes, filled with Indians, +were seen paddling over in the utmost hurry and trepidation, to the opposite +shore, where universal alarm prevailed. All we could now do was to search +the huts for weapons of war: but we found nothing except fish gigs, +which we left untouched. + +On our return to our baggage (which we had left behind under a small guard +near the place where the pursuit had begun) we observed a native fishing +in shallow water not higher than his waist, at the distance of 300 yards +from the land. In such a situation it would not have been easily practicable +either to shoot, or seize him. I therefore determined to pass without +noticing him, as he seemed either from consciousness of his own security, +or from some other cause, quite unintimidated at our appearance. At length +he called to several of us by name, and in spite of our formidable array, +drew nearer with unbounded confidence. Surprised at his behaviour I ordered +a halt, that he might overtake us, fully resolved, whoever he might be, +that he should be suffered to come to us and leave us uninjured. Presently +we found it to be our friend Colbee; and he joined us at once with his +wonted familiarity and unconcern. We asked him where Pimelwi was, and found +that he perfectly comprehended the nature of our errand, for he described him +to have fled to the southward; and to be at such a distance, as had we known +the account to be true, would have prevented our going in search of him, +without a fresh supply of provisions. + +When we arrived at our baggage, Colbee sat down, ate, drank, and slept with us, +from ten o'clock until past noon. We asked him several questions about Sydney, +which he had left on the preceding day*; and he told us he had been present +at an operation performed at the hospital, where Mr. White had cut off +a woman's leg. The agony and cries of the poor sufferer he depicted +in a most lively manner. + +[*He had it seems visited the governor about noon, after having gained +information from Nanbaree of our march, and for what purpose it was undertaken. +This he did not scruple to tell to the governor; proclaiming at the same time, +a resolution of going to Botany Bay, which his excellency endeavoured +to dissuade him from by every argument he could devise: a blanket, a hatchet, +a jacket, or aught else he would ask for, was offered to him in vain, +if he would not go. At last it was determined to try to eat him down, +by setting before him his favourite food, of which it was hoped he would feed +so voraciously, as to render him incapable of executing his intention. +A large dish of fish was accordingly set before him. But after devouring +a light horseman, and at least five pounds of beef and bread, even until +the sight of food became disgusting to him, he set out on his journey +with such lightness and gaiety, as plainly shewed him to be a stranger +to the horrors of indigestion.] + +At one o'clock we renewed our march, and at three halted near a freshwater +swamp, where we resolved to remain until morning: that is, after a day +of severe fatigue, to pass a night of restless inquietude, when weariness +is denied repose by swarms of mosquitoes and sandflies, which in the summer +months bite and sting the traveller, without measure or intermission. + +Next morning we bent our steps homeward; and, after wading breast-high +through two arms of the sea, as broad as the Thames at Westminster, were glad +to find ourselves at Sydney, between one and two o'clock in the afternoon. + +The few remarks which I was able to make on the country through which we +had passed, were such as will not tempt adventurers to visit it on the score +of pleasure or advantage. The soil of every part of the peninsula, +which we had traversed, is shallow and sandy, and its productions meagre +and wretched. When forced to quit the sand, we were condemned to drag through +morasses, or to clamber over rocks, unrefreshed by streams, and unmarked +by diversity. Of the soil I brought away several specimens. + +Our first expedition having so totally failed, the governor resolved to try +the fate of a second; and the 'painful pre-eminence' again devolved on me. + +The orders under which I was commanded to act differing in no respect +from the last, I resolved to try once more to surprise the village +beforementioned. And in order to deceive the natives, and prevent them +from again frustrating our design by promulgating it, we feigned that +our preparations were directed against Broken Bay; and that the man who had +wounded the governor was the object of punishment. It was now also determined, +being full moon, that our operations should be carried on in the night, +both for the sake of secrecy, and for avoiding the extreme heat of the day. + +A little before sun-set on the evening of the 22nd, we marched. +Lieutenant Abbot, and ensign Prentice, of the New South Wales corps, +were the two officers under my command, and with three sergeants, +three corporals, and thirty privates, completed the detachment. + +We proceeded directly to the fords of the north arm of Botany Bay, +which we had crossed in our last expedition, on the banks of which we were +compelled to wait until a quarter past two in the morning, for the ebb +of the tide. As these passing-places consist only of narrow slips of ground, +on each side of which are dangerous holes; and as fording rivers in the night +is at all times an unpleasant task, I determined before we entered the water, +to disburthen the men as much as possible; that in case of stepping wrong +every one might be as ready, as circumstances would admit, to recover himself. +The firelock and cartouche-box were all that we carried, the latter tied fast +on the top of the head, to prevent it from being wetted. The knapsacks, +etc. I left in charge of a sergeant and six men, who from their low stature +and other causes, were most likely to impede our march, the success of which +I knew hinged on our ability, by a rapid movement, to surprise the village +before daybreak. + +The two rivers were crossed without any material accident: and in pursuit +of my resolution, I ordered the guides to conduct us by the nearest route, +without heeding difficulty, or impediment of road. Having continued to +push along the river-bank very briskly for three quarters of an hour, +we were suddenly stopped by a creek, about sixty yards wide, which extended +to our right, and appeared dry from the tide being out: I asked if it could +be passed, or whether it would be better to wheel round the head of it. +Our guides answered that it was bad to cross, but might be got over, +which would save us more than a quarter of a mile. Knowing the value of time, +I directly bade them to push through, and every one began to follow as well +as he could. They who were foremost had not, however, got above half over +when the difficulty of progress was sensibly experienced. We were immersed, +nearly to the waist in mud, so thick and tenacious, that it was not without +the most vigorous exertion of every muscle of the body, that the legs +could be disengaged. When we had reached the middle, our distress became +not only more pressing, but serious, and each succeeding step, +buried us deeper. At length a sergeant of grenadiers stuck fast, and declared +himself incapable of moving either forward or backward; and just after, +Ensign Prentice and I felt ourselves in a similar predicament, close together. +'I find it impossible to move; I am sinking;' resounded on every side. +What to do I knew not: every moment brought increase of perplexity, +and augmented danger, as those who could not proceed kept gradually subsiding. +From our misfortunes, however, those in the rear profited. Warned by what +they saw and heard, they inclined to the right towards the head of the creek, +and thereby contrived to pass over. + +Our distress would have terminated fatally, had not a soldier cried out +to those on shore to cut boughs of trees*, and throw them to us--a lucky +thought, which certainly saved many of us from perishing miserably; and even +with this assistance, had we been burdened by our knapsacks, we could not have +emerged; for it employed us near half an hour to disentangle some of +our number. The sergeant of grenadiers in particular, was sunk to his +breast-bone, and so firmly fixed in that the efforts of many men were required +to extricate him, which was effected in the moment after I had ordered one of +the ropes, destined to bind the captive Indians, to be fastened under his arms. + +[*I had often read of this contrivance to facilitate the passage of a morass. +But I confess, that in my confusion I had entirely forgotten it, and probably +should have continued to do so until too late to be of use.] + +Having congratulated each other on our escape from this 'Serbonian Bog,' +and wiped our arms (half of which were rendered unserviceable by the mud) +we once more pushed forward to our object, within a few hundred yards of which +we found ourselves about half an hour before sunrise. Here I formed +the detachment into three divisions, and having enjoined the most perfect +silence, in order, if possible, to deceive Indian vigilance, each division +was directed to take a different route, so as to meet at the village +at the same moment. + +We rushed rapidly on, and nothing could succeed more exactly than the arrival +of the several detachments. To our astonishment, however, we found +not a single native at the huts; nor was a canoe to be seen on any part +of the bay. I was at first inclined to attribute this to our arriving +half an hour too late, from the numberless impediments we had encountered. +But on closer examination, there appeared room to believe, that many days +had elapsed since an Indian had been on the spot, as no mark of fresh fires, +or fish bones, was to be found. + +Disappointed and fatigued, we would willingly have profited by the advantage +of being near water, and have halted to refresh. But on consultation, +it was found, that unless we reached in an hour the rivers we had so lately +passed, it would be impossible, on account of the tide, to cross to our +baggage, in which case we should be without food until evening. We therefore +pushed back, and by dint of alternately running and walking, arrived at +the fords, time enough to pass with ease and safety. So excessive, however, +had been our efforts, and so laborious our progress, that several of the +soldiers, in the course of the last two miles, gave up, and confessed +themselves unable to proceed farther. All that I could do for these +poor fellows, was to order their comrades to carry their muskets, and to leave +with them a small party of those men who were least exhausted, to assist them +and hurry them on. In three quarters of an hour after we had crossed +the water, they arrived at it, just time enough to effect a passage. + +The necessity of repose, joined to the succeeding heat of the day, +induced us to prolong our halt until four o'clock in the afternoon, +when we recommenced our operations on the opposite side of the north arm +to that we had acted upon in the morning. Our march ended at sunset, +without our seeing a single native. We had passed through the country +which the discoverers of Botany Bay extol as 'some of the finest meadows +in the world*.' These meadows, instead of grass, are covered with high coarse +rushes, growing in a rotten spongy bog, into which we were plunged knee-deep +at every step. + +[*The words which are quoted may be found in Mr. Cook's first voyage, +and form part of his description of Botany Bay. It has often fallen to my lot +to traverse these fabled plains; and many a bitter execration have I heard +poured on those travellers, who could so faithlessly relate what they saw.] + +Our final effort was made at half past one o'clock next morning; and after +four hours toil, ended as those preceding it had done, in disappointment +and vexation. At nine o'clock we returned to Sydney, to report +our fruitless peregrination. + +But if we could not retaliate on the murderer of M'Entire, we found +no difficulty in punishing offences committed within our own observation. +Two natives, about this time, were detected in robbing a potato garden. +When seen, they ran away, and a sergeant and a party of soldiers were +dispatched in pursuit of them. Unluckily it was dark when they overtook them, +with some women at a fire; and the ardour of the soldiers transported them +so far that, instead of capturing the offenders, they fired in among them. +The women were taken, but the two men escaped. + +On the following day, blood was traced from the fireplace to the sea-side, +where it seemed probable that those who had lost it, had embarked. +The natives were observed to become immediately shy; but an exact knowledge +of the mischief which had been committed, was not gained until the end +of two days, when they said that a man of the name of Bangai (who was known +to be one of the pilferers) was wounded and dead. Imeerawanyee, however, +whispered that though he was wounded, he was not dead. A hope now existed +that his life might be saved; and Mr. White, taking Imeerawanyee, Nanbaree, +and a woman with him, set out for the spot where he was reported to be. +But on their reaching it, they were told by some people who were there +that the man was dead, and that the corpse was deposited in a bay about +a mile off. Thither they accordingly repaired, and found it as described, +covered--except one leg, which seemed to be designedly left bare--with +green boughs and a fire burning near it. Those who had performed the funeral +obsequies seemed to have been particularly solicitous for the protection +of the face, which was covered with a thick branch, interwoven with grass +and fern so as to form a complete screen. Around the neck was a strip +of the bark of which they make fishing lines, and a young strait stick +growing near was stripped of its bark and bent down so as to form an arch +over the body, in which position it was confined by a forked branch +stuck into the earth. + +On examining the corpse, it was found to be warm. Through the shoulder +had passed a musquet ball, which had divided the subclavian artery +and caused death by loss of blood. No mark of any remedy having been applied +could be discovered. Possibly the nature of the wound, which even among us +would baffle cure without amputation of the arm at the shoulder, was deemed +so fatal, that they despaired of success, and therefore left it to itself. +Had Mr. White found the man alive, there is little room to think that he could +have been of any use to him; for that an Indian would submit to so formidable +and alarming an operation seems hardly probable. + +None of the natives who had come in the boat would touch the body, or even +go near it, saying, the mawn would come; that is literally, 'the spirit of +the deceased would seize them'. Of the people who died among us, +they had expressed no such apprehension. But how far the difference +of a natural death, and one effected by violence, may operate on their fears +to induce superstition; and why those who had performed the rites of sepulture +should not experience similar fears and reluctance, I leave to be determined. +Certain it is (as I shall insist upon more hereafter), that they believe +the spirit of the dead not to be extinct with the body. + +Baneelon took an odd method of revenging the death of his countryman. +At the head of several of his tribe, he robbed one of the private boats +of fish, threatening the people, who were unarmed, that in case they resisted +he would spear them. On being taxed by the governor with this outrage, +he at first stoutly denied it; but on being confronted with the people +who were in the boat, he changed his language, and, without deigning even +to palliate his offence, burst into fury and demanded who had killed Bangai. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + + +The Transactions of the Colony continued to the End of May, 1791. + + +December, 1790. The Dutch snow from Batavia arrived on the 17th of the month, +after a passage of twelve weeks, in which she had lost sixteen of her people. +But death, to a man who has resided at Batavia, is too familiar an object +to excite either terror or regret. All the people of the 'Supply' who were left +there sick, except one midshipman, had also perished in that fatal climate. + +The cargo of the snow consisted chiefly of rice, with a small quantity of beef, +pork, and flour. + +A letter was received by this vessel, written by the Shebander at Batavia, +to governor Phillip, acquainting him that war had commenced between England +and Spain. As this letter was written in the Dutch language we did not +find it easy of translation. It filled us, however, with anxious perturbation, +and with wishes as impotent, as they were eager, in the cause of our country. +Though far beyond the din of arms, we longed to contribute to her glory, +and to share in her triumphs. + +Placed out of the reach of attack, both by remoteness and insignificancy, +our only dread lay lest those supplies intended for our consumption +should be captured. Not, however, to be found totally unprovided in case +an enemy should appear, a battery was planned near the entrance of Sydney Cove, +and other formidable preparations set on foot. + +The commencement of the year 1791, though marked by no circumstances +particularly favourable, beamed far less inauspicious than that of 1790 +had done. + +January, 1791. No circumstance, however apparently trivial, which can tend +to throw light on a new country, either in respect of its present situation, +or its future promise, should pass unregarded. On the 24th of January, +two bunches of grapes were cut in the governor's garden, from cuttings +of vines brought three years before from the Cape of Good Hope. The bunches +were handsome, the fruit of a moderate size, but well filled out +and the flavour high and delicious. + +The first step after unloading the Dutch snow was to dispatch the 'Supply' +to Norfolk Island for captain Hunter, and the crew of the 'Sirius' who had +remained there ever since the loss of that ship. It had always been +the governor's wish to hire the Dutchman, for the purpose of transporting them +to England. But the frantic extravagant behaviour of the master of her, +for a long time frustrated the conclusion of a contract. He was so totally +lost to a sense of reason and propriety, as to ask eleven pounds per ton, +monthly, for her use, until she should arrive from England, at Batavia. +This was treated with proper contempt; and he was at last induced to accept +twenty shillings a ton, per month (rating her at three hundred tons) +until she should arrive in England--being about the twenty-fifth part +of his original demand. And even at this price she was, perhaps, the dearest +vessel ever hired on a similar service, being totally destitute of every +accommodation and every good quality which could promise to render +so long a voyage either comfortable or expeditious. + +February, 1791. On the 26th, Captain Hunter, his officers and ship's company +joined us; and on the 28th of March the snow sailed with them for England, +intending to make a northern passage by Timor and Batavia, the season being +too far advanced to render the southern route by Cape Horn +practicable*. + +[*They did not arrive in England until April, 1792.] + +Six days previous to the departure of captain Hunter, the indefatigable 'Supply' +again sailed for Norfolk Island, carrying thither captain Hill and a detachment +of the New South Wales corps. A little native boy named Bondel, who had long +particularly attached himself to captain Hill, accompanied him, at his own +earnest request. His father had been killed in battle and his mother bitten +in two by a shark: so that he was an orphan, dependant on the humanity +of his tribe for protection*. His disappearance seemed to make no impression +on the rest of his countrymen, who were apprized of his resolution to go. +On the return of the 'Supply' they inquired eagerly for him, and on being told +that the place he was gone to afforded plenty of birds and other good fare, +innumerable volunteers presented themselves to follow him, so great +was their confidence in us and so little hold of them had the amor patriae. + +[*I am of opinion that such protection is always extended to children +who may be left destitute.] + + +March, 1791. The snow had but just sailed, when a very daring manoeuvre +was carried into execution, with complete success, by a set of convicts, +eleven in number, including a woman, wife of one of the party, and two +little children. They seized the governor's cutter and putting into her +a seine, fishing-lines, and hooks, firearms, a quadrant, compass, +and some provisions, boldly pushed out to sea, determined to brave +every danger and combat every hardship, rather than remain longer in a captive +state. Most of these people had been brought out in the first fleet, +and the terms of transportation of some of them were expired. Among them were +a fisherman, a carpenter, and some competent navigators, so that little doubt +was entertained that a scheme so admirably planned would be adequately +executed*. When their elopement was discovered, a pursuit was ordered +by the governor. But the fugitives had made too good an use of the +intermediate time to be even seen by their pursuers. After the escape +of Captain Bligh, which was well known to us, no length of passage or hazard +of navigation seemed above human accomplishment. However to prevent future +attempts of a like nature, the governor directed that boats only of stated +dimensions should be built. Indeed an order of this sort had been issued +on the escape of the first party, and it was now repeated with +additional restrictions. + +[*It was my fate to fall in again with part of this little band of adventurers. +In March 1792, when I arrived in the Gorgon, at the Cape of Good Hope, +six of these people, including the woman and one child, were put on board +of us to be carried to England. four had died, and one had jumped overboard +at Batavia. The particulars of their voyage were briefly as follows. +They coasted the shore of New Holland, putting occasionally into different +harbours which they found in going along. One of these harbours, in the +latitude of 30 degrees south, they described to be of superior excellence +and capacity. Here they hauled their bark ashore, paid her seams with tallow, +and repaired her. But it was with difficulty they could keep off the attacks +of the Indians. These people continued to harras them so much that they +quitted the mainland and retreated to a small island in the harbour, +where they completed their design. Between the latitude of 26 degrees and +27 degrees, they were driven by a current 30 leagues from the shore, +among some islands, where they found plenty of large turtles. Soon after +they closed again with the continent, when the boat got entangled in the surf +and was driven on shore, and they had all well nigh perished. They passed +rough the straits of Endeavour and, beyond the gulf of Carpentaria, found a +large freshwater river, which they entered, and filled from it their +empty casks. + +Until they reached the gulf of Carpentaria, they saw no natives or canoes +differing from those about Port Jackson. But now they were chased by +large canoes, jitted with sails and fighting stages, and capable of holding +thirty men each. They escaped by dint of rowing to windward. On the +5th of June 1791 they reached Timor, and pretended that they had belonged +to a ship which, on her passage from Port Jackson to India, had foundered; +and that they only had escaped. The Dutch received them with kindness +and treated them with hospitality. But their behaviour giving rise +to suspicion, they were watched; and one of them at last, in a moment +of intoxication, betrayed the secret. They were immediately secured +and committed to prison. Soon after Captain Edwards of the Pandora, +who had been wrecked near Endeavour straits, arrived at Timor, and they were +delivered up to him, by which means they became passengers in the Gorgon. + +I confess that I never looked at these people without pity and astonishment. +They had miscarried in a heroic struggle for liberty after having combated +every hardship and conquered every difficulty. + +The woman, and one of the men, had gone out to Port Jackson in the ship +which had transported me thither. They had both of them been always +distinguished for good behaviour. And I could not but reflect with admiration +at the strange combination of circumstances which had again brought us +together, to baffle human foresight and confound human speculation.] + + +April, 1791. Notwithstanding the supplies which had recently arrived +from Batavia, short allowance was again proclaimed on the 2nd of April, +on which day we were reduced to the following ration: + +Three pounds of rice, three pounds of flour and three pounds of pork per week. + +It was singularly unfortunate that these retrenchments should always happen +when the gardens were most destitute of vegetables. A long drought had nearly +exhausted them. The hardships which we in consequence suffered were great, +but not comparable to what had been formerly experienced. Besides, +now we made sure of ships arriving soon to dispel our distress. Whereas, +heretofore, from having never heard from England, the hearts of men sunk +and many had begun to doubt whether it had not been resolved to try how long +misery might be endured with resignation. + +Notwithstanding the incompetency of so diminished a pittance, the daily task +of the soldier and convict continued unaltered. I never contemplated +the labours of these men without finding abundant cause of reflection +on the miseries which our nature can overcome. Let me for a moment quit +the cold track of narrative. Let me not fritter away by servile adaptation +those reflections and the feelings they gave birth to. Let me transcribe them +fresh as they arose, ardent and generous, though hopeless and romantic. +I every day see wretches pale with disease and wasted with famine, +struggle against the horror's of their situation. How striking is the effect +of subordination; how dreadful is the fear of punishment! The allotted task +is still performed, even on the present reduced subsistence. The blacksmith +sweats at the sultry forge, the sawyer labours pent-up in his pit and +the husbandman turns up the sterile glebe. Shall I again hear arguments +multiplied to violate truth, and insult humanity! Shall I again be told +that the sufferings of the wretched Africans are indispensable for the culture +of our sugar colonies; that white men are incapable of sustaining the heat +of the climate! I have been in the West Indies. I have lived there. +I know that it is a rare instance for the mercury in the thermometer +to mount there above 90 degrees; and here I scarcely pass a week in summer +without seeing it rise to 100 degrees; sometimes to 105; nay, beyond even that +burning altitude. + +But toil cannot be long supported without adequate refreshment. The first step +in every community which wishes to preserve honesty should be to set the people +above want. The throes of hunger will ever prove too powerful for integrity +to withstand. Hence arose a repetition of petty delinquencies, which no +vigilance could detect, and no justice reach. Gardens were plundered, +provisions pilfered, and the Indian corn stolen from the fields where it grew +for public use. Various were the measures adopted to check this depredatory +spirit. Criminal courts, either from the tediousness of their process, +or from the frequent escape of culprits from their decision, were seldomer +convened than formerly. The governor ordered convict offenders either +to be chained together or to wear singly a large iron collar with two spikes +projecting from it, which effectually hindered the party from concealing it +under his shirt; and thus shackled, they were compelled to perform +their quota of work. + +May, 1791. Had their marauding career terminated here, humanity would have +been anxious to plead in their defence; but the natives continued to complain +of being robbed of spears and fishing tackle. A convict was at length taken +in the fact of stealing fishing-tackle from Daringa, the wife of Colbee. +The governor ordered that he should be severely flogged in the presence of +as many natives as could be assembled, to whom the cause of punishment +should be explained. Many of them, of both sexes, accordingly attended. +Arabanoo's aversion to a similar sight has been noticed; and if the behaviour +of those now collected be found to correspond with it, it is, I think, +fair to conclude that these people are not of a sanguinary and implacable +temper. Quick indeed of resentment, but not unforgiving of injury. +There was not one of them that did not testify strong abhorrence +of the punishment and equal sympathy with the sufferer. The women +were particularly affected; Daringa shed tears, and Barangaroo, kindling +into anger, snatched a stick and menaced the executioner. The conduct +of these women, on this occasion, was exactly descriptive of their characters. +The former was ever meek and feminine, the latter fierce and unsubmissive. + +On the first of May, many allotments of ground were parcelled out +by the governor to convicts whose periods of transportation were expired, +and who voluntarily offered to become settlers in the country. The terms +on which they settled, and their progress in agriculture, will be +hereafter set forth. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + + +Travelling Diaries in New South Wales. + + +From among my numerous travelling journals into the interior parts +of the country, I select the following to present to the reader, as equally +important in their object, and more amusing in their detail, than any other. + +In April 1791 an expedition was undertaken, in order to ascertain +whether or not the Hawkesbury and the Nepean, were the same river. +With this view, we proposed to fall in a little above Richmond Hill*, +and trace down to it; and if the weather should prove fine to cross +at the ford, and go a short distance westward, then to repass the river +and trace it upward until we should either arrive at some spot which we knew +to be the Nepean, or should determine by its course that the Hawkesbury +was a different stream. + +[*Look at the map for the situation of this place (Unfortunately, there is +no map accompanying this etext. Ed.)] + + +Our party was strong and numerous. It consisted of twenty-one persons, +viz. the governor, Mr. Collins and his servant, Mr. White, Mr. Dawes, +the author, three gamekeepers, two sergeants, eight privates, and our friends +Colbee and Boladeree. These two last were volunteers on the occasion, +on being assured that we should not stay out many days and that we should +carry plenty of provisions. Baneelon wished to go, but his wife would not +permit it. Colbee on the other hand, would listen to no objections. +He only stipulated (with great care and consideration) that, during his absence, +his wife and child should remain at Sydney under our protection, +and be supplied with provisions. + +But before we set out, let me describe our equipment, and try to convey +to those who have rolled along on turnpike roads only, an account of those +preparations which are required in traversing the wilderness. Every man +(the governor excepted) carried his own knapsack, which contained provisions +for ten days. If to this be added a gun, a blanket, and a canteen, +the weight will fall nothing short of forty pounds. Slung to the knapsack +are the cooking kettle and the hatchet, with which the wood to kindle +the nightly fire and build the nightly hut is to be cut down. Garbed to drag +through morasses, tear through thickets, ford rivers and scale rocks, +our autumnal heroes, who annually seek the hills in pursuit of grouse +and black game, afford but an imperfect representation of the picture. + +Thus encumbered, the march begins at sunrise, and with occasional halts +continues until about an hour and a half before sunset. It is necessary +to stop thus early to prepare for passing the night, for toil here ends not +with the march. Instead of the cheering blaze, the welcoming landlord, +and the long bill of fare, the traveller has now to collect his fuel, +to erect his wigwam, to fetch water, and to broil his morsel of salt pork. +Let him then lie down, and if it be summer, try whether the effect of fatigue +is sufficiently powerful to overcome the bites and stings of the myriads +of sandflies and mosquitoes which buzz around him. + +Monday, April 11, 1791. At twenty minutes before seven o'clock, we started +from the governor's house at Rose Hill and steered* for a short time +nearly in a north-east direction, after which we turned to north 34 degrees +west, and steadily pursued that course until a quarter before four o'clock, +when we halted for the night. The country for the first two miles, +while we walked to the northeast, was good, full of grass and without rock +or underwood. + +Afterwards it grew very bad, being full of steep, barren rocks, over which +we were compelled to clamber for seven miles, when it changed to +a plain country apparently very sterile, and with very little grass in it, +which rendered walking easy. Our fatigue in the morning had, however, +been so oppressive that one of the party knocked up. And had not a soldier, +as strong as a pack-horse, undertaken to carry his knapsack in addition +to his own, we must either have sent him back, or have stopped at a place +for the night which did not afford water. Our two natives carried each +his pack, but its weight was inconsiderable, most of their provisions +being in the knapsacks of the soldiers and gamekeepers. We expected +to have derived from them much information relating to the country, as no one +doubted that they were acquainted with every part of it between the sea coast +and the river Hawkesbury. We hoped also to have witnessed their manner +of living in the woods, and the resources they rely upon in their journeys. +Nothing, however, of this sort had yet occurred, except their examining +some trees to see if they could discover on the bark any marks of the claws +of squirrels and opossums, which they said would show whether any of those +animals were hidden among the leaves and branches. They walked stoutly, +appeared but little fatigued, and maintained their spirits admirably, +laughing to excess when any of us either tripped or stumbled, misfortunes +which much seldomer fell to their lot than to ours. + +[*Our method, on these expeditions, was to steer by compass, noting +the different courses as we proceeded; and counting the number of paces, +of which two thousand two hundred, on good ground, were allowed to be a mile. +At night when we halted, all these courses were separately cast up, +and worked by a traverse table, in the manner a ship's reckoning is kept, +so that by observing this precaution, we always knew exactly where we were, +and how far from home; an unspeakable advantage in a new country, +where one hill, and one tree, is so like another that fatal wanderings +would ensue without it. This arduous task was always allotted to Mr. Dawes +who, from habit and superior skill, performed it almost without a stop, +or an interruption of conversation: to any other man, on such terms, +it would have been impracticable.] + +At a very short distance from Rose Hill, we found that they were in a country +unknown to them, so that the farther they went the more dependent on us +they became, being absolute strangers inland. To convey to their +understandings the intention of our journey was impossible. For, perhaps, +no words could unfold to an Indian the motives of curiosity which induce men +to encounter labour, fatigue and pain, when they might remain in repose +at home, with a sufficiency of food. We asked Colbee the name of the people +who live inland, and he called them Boorooberongal; and said they were bad, +whence we conjectured that they sometimes war with those on the sea coast, +by whom they were undoubtedly driven up the country from the fishing ground, +that it might not be overstocked; the weaker here, as in every other country, +giving way to the stronger. + +We asked how they lived. He said, on birds and animals, having no fish. +Their laziness appeared strongly when we halted, for they refused to draw +water or to cleave wood to make a fire; but as soon as it was kindled +(having first well stuffed themselves), they lay down before it and +fell asleep. About an hour after sunset, as we were chatting by the fire side +and preparing to go to rest, we heard voices at a little distance in the wood. +Our natives caught the sound instantaneously and, bidding us be silent, +listened attentively to the quarter whence it had proceeded. In a few minutes +we heard the voices plainly; and, wishing exceedingly to open a communication +with this tribe, we begged our natives to call to them, and bid them to come +to us, to assure them of good treatment, and that they should have something +given them to eat. Colbee no longer hesitated, but gave them the signal +of invitation, in a loud hollow cry. After some whooping and shouting +on both sides, a man with a lighted stick in his hand advanced near enough +to converse with us. The first words which we could distinctly understand +were, 'I am Colbee, of the tribe of Cadigal.' The stranger replied, +'I am Bereewan, of the tribe of Boorooberongal.' Boladeree informed him also +of his name and that we were white men and friends, who would give him +something to eat. Still he seemed irresolute. Colbee therefore advanced +to him, took him by the hand and led him to us. By the light of the moon, +we were introduced to this gentleman, all our names being repeated in form +by our two masters of the ceremonies, who said that we were Englishmen +and 'budyeeree' (good), that we came from the sea coast, and that we were +travelling inland. + +Bereewan seemed to be a man about thirty years old, differing in no respect +from his countrymen with whom we were acquainted. He came to us unarmed, +having left his spears at a little distance. After a long conversation +with his countrymen, and having received some provisions, he departed +highly satisfied. + +Tuesday, April 12th, 1791. Started this morning at half past six o'clock, +and in two hours reached the river. The whole of the country we passed +was poor, and the soil within a mile of the river changed to a coarse +deep sand, which I have invariably found to compose its banks in every part +without exception that I ever saw. The stream at this place is about +350 feet wide; the water pure and excellent to the taste. The banks +are about twenty feet high and covered with trees, many of which had been +evidently bent by the force of the current in the direction which it runs, +and some of them contained rubbish and drift wood in their branches +at least forty-five feet above the level of the stream. We saw many ducks, +and killed one, which Colbee swam for. No new production among the shrubs +growing here was found. We were acquainted with them all. Our natives +had evidently never seen this river before. They stared at it with surprise, +and talked to each other. Their total ignorance of the country, and of +the direction in which they had walked, appeared when they were asked +which way Rose Hill lay; for they pointed almost oppositely to it. +Of our compass they had taken early notice, and had talked much to each other +about it. They comprehended its use, and called it 'naamoro,' literally, +"to see the way"; a more significant or expressive term cannot be found. + +Supposing ourselves to be higher on the stream than Richmond Hill, we agreed +to trace downward, or to the right hand. In tracing, we kept as close +to the bank of the river as the innumerable impediments to walking which grow +upon it would allow. We found the country low and swampy; came to a native +fireplace, at which were some small fish-bones; soon after we saw a native, +but he ran away immediately. Having walked nearly three miles we were stopped +by a creek which we could neither ford, or fall a tree across. We were +therefore obliged to coast it, in hope to find a passing place or to reach +its head. At four o'clock we halted for the night on the bank of the creek. +Our natives continued to hold out stoutly. The hindrances to walking +by the river side which plagued and entangled us so much, seemed not to be +heeded by them, and they wound through them with case; but to us they were +intolerably tiresome. Our perplexities afforded them an inexhaustible fund +of merriment and derision: Did the sufferer, stung at once with nettles +and ridicule, and shaken nigh to death by his fall, use any angry expression +to them, they retorted in a moment, by calling him by every opprobrious name* +which their language affords. + +Boladeree destroyed a native hut today very wantonly before we could +prevent him. On being asked why he did so, he answered that the inhabitants +inland were bad; though no longer since than last night, when Bereewan +had departed, they were loud in their praise. But now they had reverted to +their first opinion; so fickle and transient are their motives of love +and hatred. + +[*Their general favourite term of reproach is 'goninpatta', which signifies +'an eater of human excrement'. Our language would admit a very concise +and familiar translation. They have, besides this, innumerable others +which they often salute their enemies with.] + + +Wednesday, April 13th, 1791. We did not set out this morning until past +seven o'clock, when we continued to trace the creek. The country which we +passed through yesterday was good and desirable to what was now presented +to us. It was in general high and universally rocky. 'Toiling our uncouth +way', we mounted a hill, and surveyed the contiguous country. +To the northward and eastward, the ground was still higher than that +we were upon; but in a south-west direction we saw about four miles. +The view consisted of nothing but trees growing on precipices; not an acre +of it could be cultivated. Saw a tree on fire here, and several other +vestiges of the natives. To comprehend the reasons which induce an Indian +to perform many of the offices of life is difficult; to pronounce that which +could lead him to wander amidst these dreary wilds baffles penetration. +About two o'clock we reached the head of the creek, passed it and scrambled +with infinite toil and difficulty to the top of a neighbouring mountain, +whence we saw the adjacent country in almost every direction, for many miles. +I record with regret that this extended view presented not a single gleam +of change which could encourage hope or stimulate industry, to attempt +its culture. We had, however, the satisfaction to discover plainly the object +of our pursuit, Richmond Hill, distant about eight miles, in a contrary +direction from what we had been proceeding upon. It was readily known +to those who had been up the Hawkesbury in the boats, by a remarkable cleft +or notch which distinguishes it. It was now determined that we should go back +to the head of the creek and pass the night there; and in the morning +cut across the country to that part of the river which we had first hit upon +yesterday, and thence to trace upward, or to the left. But before I descend, +I must not forget to relate that to this pile of desolation on which, +like the fallen angel on the top of Niphates, we stood contemplating +our nether Eden, His Excellency was pleased to give the name +of Tench's Prospect Mount. + +Our fatigue to-day had been excessive; but our two sable companions seemed +rather enlivened than exhausted by it. We had no sooner halted and given them +something to eat than they began to play ten thousand tricks and gambols. +They imitated the leaping of the kangaroo; sang, danced, poised the spear +and met in mock encounter. But their principal source of merriment was again +derived from our misfortunes, in tumbling amidst nettles, and sliding down +precipices, which they mimicked with inimitable drollery. They had become, +however, very urgent in their inquiries about the time of our return, +and we pacified them as well as we could by saying it would be soon, +but avoided naming how many days. + +Their method of testifying dislike to any place is singular: they point to +the spot they are upon, and all around it, crying 'weeree, weeree' (bad) +and immediately after mention the name of any other place to which +they are attached (Rose Hill or Sydney for instance), adding to it +'budyeree, budyeree' (good). Nor was their preference in the present case +the result of caprice, for they assigned very substantial reasons +for such predilection: "At Rose Hill," said they, "are potatoes, cabbages, +pumpkins, turnips, fish and wine; here are nothing but rocks and water." +These comparisons constantly ended with the question of "Where's Rose Hill? +Where?" on which they would throw up their hands and utter a sound to denote +distance, which it is impossible to convey an idea of upon paper. + +Thursday, April 14th, 1791. We started early and reached the river in about +two hours and a half. The intermediate country, except for the last half mile, +was a continued bed of stones, which were in some places so thick and +close together that they looked like a pavement formed by art. When we got off +the stones, we came upon the coarse river sand beforementioned. + +Here we began to trace upward. We had not proceeded far when we saw +several canoes on the river. Our natives made us immediately lie down +among the reeds, while they gave their countrymen the signal of approach. +After much calling, finding that they did not come, we continued our progress +until it was again interrupted by a creek, over which we threw a tree +and passed upon it. While this was doing, a native, from his canoe, +entered into conversation with us, and immediately after paddled to us +with a frankness and confidence which surprised every one. He was a man +of middle age, with an open cheerful countenance, marked with the small pox, +and distinguished by a nose of uncommon magnitude and dignity. He seemed +to be neither astonished or terrified at our appearance and number. +Two stone hatchets, and two spears he took from his canoe, and presented +to the governor, who in return for his courteous generosity, gave him two +of our hatchets and some bread, which was new to him, for he knew not its use, +but kept looking at it, until Colbee shewed him what to do, when he eat it +without hesitation. We pursued our course, and to accommodate us, +our new acquaintance pointed out a path and walked at the head of us. A canoe, +also with a man and a boy in it, kept gently paddling up abreast of us. +We halted for the night at our usual hour, on the bank of the river. +Immediately that we had stopped, our friend (who had already told us his name) +Gombeeree, introduced the man and the boy from the canoe to us. The former +was named Yellomundee, the latter Deeimba. The ease with which these people +behaved among strangers was as conspicuous, as unexpected. They seated +themselves at our fire, partook of our biscuit and pork, drank from +our canteens, and heard our guns going off around them without betraying +any symptom of fear, distrust or surprise. On the opposite bank of the river +they had left their wives and several children, with whom they frequently +discoursed; and we observed that these last manifested neither suspicion +or uneasiness of our designs towards their friends. + +Having refreshed ourselves, we found leisure to enter into conversation +with them. It could not be expected that they should differ materially +from the tribes with whom we were acquainted. The same manners and pursuits, +the same amusements, the same levity and fickleness, undoubtedly characterised +them. What we were able to learn from them was that they depend but little +on fish, as the river yields only mullets, and that their principal support +is derived from small animals which they kill, and some roots (a species +of wild yam chiefly) which they dig out of the earth. If we rightly +understood them, each man possesses two wives. Whence can arise +this superabundance of females? Neither of the men had suffered the extraction +of a front tooth. We were eager to know whether or not this custom obtained +among them. But neither Colbee nor Boladeree would put the question for us; +and on the contrary, showed every desire to wave the subject. +The uneasiness which they testified, whenever we renewed it, rather served +to confirm a suspicion which we had long entertained, that this is a mark +of subjection imposed by the tribe of Cameragal, (who are certainly +the most powerful community in the country) on the weaker tribes around them. +Whether the women cut off a joint of one of the little fingers, like those +on the sea coast, we had no opportunity of observing. These are petty remarks. +But one variety struck us more forcibly. Although our natives and +the strangers conversed on a par and understood each other perfectly, +yet they spoke different dialects of the same language; many of the most common +and necessary words used in life bearing no similitude, and others +being slightly different. + + +------------------------------------------------------------ +English Name on the sea coast Name at the Hawkesbury +------------------------------------------------------------ + +The Moon Yeneeda Condoen +The Ear Gooree Benna +The Forehead Nullo Narran +The Belly Barang Bindee +The Navel Muneero Boombong +The Buttocks Boong Baylee +The Neck Calang Ganga +The Thigh Tara Dara +The Hair Deewara Keewara +------------------------------------------------------------- + + +That these diversities arise from want of intercourse with the people +on the coast can hardly be imagined, as the distance inland is but +thirty-eight miles; and from Rose Hill not more than twenty, where the dialect +of the sea coast is spoken. It deserves notice that all the different terms +seemed to be familiar to both parties, though each in speaking preferred +its own*. + +[*How easily people, unused to speak the same language, mistake each other, +everyone knows. We had lived almost three years at Port Jackson +(for more than half of which period natives had resided with us) before we knew +that the word 'beeal', signified 'no', and not 'good', in which latter sense +we had always used it without suspecting that we were wrong; and even without +being corrected by those with whom we talked daily. The cause of our error +was this. The epithet 'weeree', signifying 'bad', we knew; and as the use +of this word and its opposite afford the most simple form of denoting consent +or disapprobation to uninstructed Indians, in order to find out their word +for 'good', when Arabanoo was first brought among us, we used jokingly to say +that any thing, which he liked was 'weeree', in order to provoke him to tell us +that it was good. When we said 'weeree', he answered 'beeal', +which we translated and adopted for 'good'; whereas he meant no more than +simply to deny our inference, and say 'no'--it is not bad. After this, +it cannot be thought extraordinary that the little vocabulary inserted in +Mr. Cook's account of this part of the world should appear defective-- +even were we not to take in the great probability of the dialects at +Endeavour River and Van Diemen's land differing from that spoken +at Port Jackson. And it remains to be proved that the animal called here +'patagaram' is not there called 'kangaroo'.] + +Stretched out at ease before our fire, all sides continued to chat +and entertain each other. Gombeeree shewed us the mark of a wound +which he had received in his side from a spear. It was large, appeared +to have passed to a considerable depth, and must certainly have been attended +with imminent danger. By whom it had been inflicted, and on what occasion, +he explained to Colbee; and afterwards (as we understood) he entered into +a detail of the wars, and, as effects lead to causes, probably of the +gallantries of the district, for the word which signifies a woman +was often repeated. Colbee, in return for his communication, informed him +who we were; of our numbers at Sydney and Rose Hill, of the stores +we possessed and, above all, of the good things which were to be found +among us, enumerating potatoes, cabbages, turnips, pumpkins, and many other +names which were perfectly unintelligible to the person who heard them, +but which he nevertheless listened to with profound attention. + +Perhaps the relation given by Gombeeree, of the cure of his wound, +now gave rise to the following superstitious ceremony. While they were +talking, Colbee turned suddenly round and asked for some water. I gave him +a cupful, which he presented with great seriousness to Yellomundee, +as I supposed to drink. This last indeed took the cup and filled his mouth +with water, but instead of swallowing it, threw his head into Colbee's bosom, +spit the water upon him and, immediately after, began to suck strongly +at his breast, just below the nipple. I concluded that the man was sick; +and called to the governor to observe the strange place which he had chosen +to exonerate his stomach. The silent attention observed by the other natives, +however, soon convinced us that something more than merely the accommodation +of Yellomundee, was intended. The ceremony was again performed; and, +after having sucked the part for a considerable time, the operator pretended +to receive something in his mouth, which was drawn from the breast. +With this he retired a few paces, put his hand to his lips and threw +into the river a stone, which I had observed him to pick up slily, and secrete. +When he returned to the fireside, Colbee assured us that he had received +signal benefit from the operation; and that this second Machaon had extracted +from his breast two splinters of a spear by which he had been formerly wounded. +We examined the part, but it was smooth and whole, so that to the force +of imagination alone must be imputed both the wound and its cure. +Colbee himself seemed nevertheless firmly persuaded that he had received +relief, and assured us that Yellomundee was a 'caradyee', or +'Doctor of renown'. And Boladeree added that not only he but all the rest +of his tribe were 'caradyee' of especial note and skill. + +The Doctors remained with us all night, sleeping before the fire in the +fullness of good faith and security. The little boy slept in his father's +arms, and we observed that whenever the man was inclined to shift his position, +he first put over the child, with great care, and then turned round to him. + +Friday, April 15th, 1791. The return of light aroused us to the repetition +of toil. Our friends breakfasted with us, and previous to starting Gombeeree +gave a specimen of their manner of climbing trees in quest of animals. +He asked for a hatchet and one of ours was offered to him, but he preferred +one of their own making. With this tool he cut a small notch in the tree +he intended to climb, about two feet and a half above the ground, in which +he fixed the great toe of his left foot, and sprung upwards, at the same time +embracing the tree with his left arm. In an instant he had cut a second notch +for his right toe on the other side of the tree into which he sprung, +and thus, alternately cutting on each side, he mounted to the height +of twenty feet in nearly as short a space as if he had ascended by a ladder, +although the bark of the tree was quite smooth and slippery and the trunk +four feet in diameter and perfectly strait. To us it was a matter +of astonishment, but to him it was sport; for while employed thus he kept +talking to those below and laughing immoderately. He descended with as much +ease and agility as he had raised himself. Even our natives allowed that +he was a capital performer, against whom they dared not to enter the lists; +for as they subsist chiefly by fishing they are less expert at climbing +on the coast than those who daily practice it. + +Soon after they bade us adieu, in unabated friendship and good humour. +Colbee and Boladeree parted from them with a slight nod of the head, +the usual salutation of the country; and we shook them by the hand, +which they returned lustily. + +At the time we started the tide was flowing up the river, a decisive proof +that we were below Richmond Hill. We had continued our march but a short time +when we were again stopped by a creek, which baffled all our endeavours +to cross it, and seemed to predict that the object of our attainment, +though but a very few miles distant, would take us yet a considerable +time to reach, which threw a damp on our hopes. We traced the creek +until four o'clock, when we halted for the night. The country, on both sides, +we thought in general unpromising; but it is certainly very superior +to that which we had seen on the former creek. In many places it might be +cultivated, provided the inundations of the stream can be repelled. + +In passing along we shot some ducks, which Boladeree refused to swim for +when requested, and told us in a surly tone that they swam for what was killed, +and had the trouble of fetching it ashore, only for the white men to eat it. +This reproof was, I fear, too justly founded; for of the few ducks we had been +so fortunate as to procure, little had fallen to their share except the offals, +and now and then a half-picked bone. True, indeed, all the crows and hawks +which had been shot were given to them; but they plainly told us that +the taste of ducks was more agreeable to their palates, and begged they might +hereafter partake of them. We observed that they were thoroughly sick +of the journey, and wished heartily for its conclusion: the exclamation of +"Where's Rose Hill, where?" was incessantly repeated, with many inquiries +about when we should return to it. + +Saturday April 16th, 1791. It was this morning resolved to abandon +our pursuit and to return home; at hearing of which our natives expressed +great joy. We started early; and reached Rose Hill about three o'clock, +just as a boat was about to be sent down to Sydney. Colbee and Boladeree +would not wait for us until the following morning, but insisted on going down +immediately to communicate to Baneelon and the rest of their countrymen +the novelties they had seen. + +The country we passed through was, for the most part, very indifferent, +according to our universal opinion. It is in general badly watered. +For eight miles and a half on one line we did not find a drop of water. + +RICHMOND HILL + +Having eluded our last search, Mr. Dawes and myself, accompanied by a sergeant +of marines and a private soldier, determined on another attempt, +to ascertain whether it lay on the Hawkesbury or Nepean. We set out +on this expedition on the 24th of May, 1791; and having reached the opposite +side of the mouth of the creek which had in our last journey prevented +our progress, we proceeded from there up to Richmond Hill by the river side; +mounted it; slept at its foot; and on the following day penetrated some miles +westward or inland of it until we were stopped by a mountainous country, +which our scarcity of provisions, joined to the terror of a river at our back, +whose sudden rising is almost beyond computation, hindered us from exploring. +To the elevation which bounded our research we gave the name of Knight Hill, +in honour of the trusty sergeant who had been the faithful indefatigable +companion of all our travels. + +This excursion completely settled the long contested point about +the Hawkesbury and Nepean. We found them to be one river. Without knowing it, +Mr. Dawes and myself had passed Richmond Hill almost a year before +(in August 1790), and from there walked on the bank of the river to the spot +where my discovery of the Nepean happened, in June 1789. Our ignorance +arose from having never before seen the hill, and from the erroneous position +assigned to it by those who had been in the boats up the river. + +Except the behaviour of some natives whom we met on the river, which +it would be ingratitude to pass in silence, nothing particularly worthy +of notice occurred on this expedition. + +When we had reached within two miles of Richmond Hill, we heard a native call. +We directly answered him and conversed across the river for some time. +At length he launched his canoe and crossed to us without distrust +or hesitation. We had never seen him before; but he appeared to know +our friend Gombeeree, of whom he often spoke. He said his name was Deedora. +He presented us with two spears and a throwing-stick, and in return +we gave him some bread and beef. Finding that our route lay up the river, +he offered to accompany us and, getting into his canoe, paddled up +abreast of us. When we arrived at Richmond Hill it became necessary +to cross the river; but the question was, how this should be effected? +Deedora immediately offered his canoe. We accepted of it and, Mr. Dawes +and the soldier putting their clothes into it, pushed it before them, +and by alternately wading and swimming, soon passed. On the opposite shore +sat several natives, to whom Deedora called, by which precaution the arrival +of the strangers produced no alarm. On the contrary, they received them +with every mark of benevolence. Deedora, in the meanwhile, sat talking +with the sergeant and me. Soon after, another native, named Morunga, +brought back the canoe, and now came our turn to cross. The sergeant +(from a foolish trick which had been played upon him when he was a boy) +was excessively timorous of water, and could not swim. Morunga offered +to conduct him, and they got into the canoe together; but, his fears returning, +he jumped out and refused to proceed. I endeavoured to animate him, +and Morunga ridiculed his apprehensions, making signs of the ease and dispatch +with which he would land him; but he resolved to paddle over by himself, +which, by dint of good management and keeping his position very steadily, +he performed. It was now become necessary to bring over the canoe +a third time for my accommodation, which was instantly done, and I entered it +with Deedora. But, like the sergeant, I was so disordered at seeing the water +within a hair's breadth of the level of our skiff (which brought +to my remembrance a former disaster I had experienced on this river) +that I jumped out, about knee-deep, and determined to swim over, +which I effected. My clothes, half our knapsacks, and three of our guns +yet remained to be transported across. These I recommended to the care +of our grim ferrymen, who instantaneously loaded their boat with them +and delivered them on the opposite bank, without damage or diminution. + +During this long trial of their patience and courtesy--in the latter part +of which I was entirely in their power, from their having possession +of our arms--they had manifested no ungenerous sign of taking advantage +of the helplessness and dependance of our situation; no rude curiosity +to pry into the packages with which they were entrusted; or no sordid desire +to possess the contents of them; although among them were articles +exposed to view, of which it afterwards appeared they knew the use, +and longed for the benefit. Let the banks of those rivers, "known to song", +let him whose travels have lain among polished nations produce me +a brighter example of disinterested urbanity than was shown by these denizens +of a barbarous clime to a set of destitute wanderers on the side +of the Hawkesbury. + +On the top of Richmond Hill we shot a hawk, which fell in a tree. +Deedora offered to climb for it and we lent him a hatchet, the effect of which +delighted him so much that he begged for it. As it was required to chop wood +for our evening fire, it could not be conveniently spared; but we promised him +that if he would visit us on the following morning, it should be given to him. +Not a murmur was heard; no suspicion of our insincerity; no mention +of benefits conferred; no reproach of ingratitude. His good humour +and cheerfulness were not clouded for a moment. Punctual to our appointment, +he came to us at daylight next morning and the hatchet was given to him, +the only token of gratitude and respect in our power to bestow. Neither +of these men had lost his front tooth. + +THE LAST EXPEDITION + +Which I ever undertook in the country I am describing was in July 1791, +when Mr. Dawes and myself went in search of a large river which was said +to exist a few miles to the southward of Rose Hill. We went to the place +described, and found this second Nile or Ganges to be nothing but +a saltwater creek communicating with Botany Bay, on whose banks we passed +a miserable night from want of a drop of water to quench our thirst, +for as we believed that we were going to a river we thought it needless +to march with full canteens. + +On this expedition we carried with us a thermometer which (in unison +with our feelings) shewed so extraordinary a degree of cold for the latitude +of the place that I think myself bound to transcribe it. + +Monday, 18th July 1791. The sun arose in unclouded splendor and presented +to our sight a novel and picturesque view. The contiguous country as white +as if covered with snow, contrasted with the foliage of trees flourishing +in the verdure of tropical luxuriancy*. Even the exhalation which steamed +from the lake beneath contributed to heighten the beauty of the scene. +Wind SSW. Thermorneter at sunrise 25 degrees. The following night +was still colder. At sunset the thermometer stood at 45 degrees; +at a quarter before four in the morning, it was at 26 degrees; +at a quarter before six at 24 degrees; at a quarter before seven, at +23 degrees; at seven o'clock, 22.7 degrees; at sunrise, 23 degrees, after which +it continued gradually to mount, and between one and two o'clock, +stood at 59.6 degrees in the shade. Wind SSW. The horizon perfectly clear +all day, not the smallest speck to be seen. Nothing but demonstration +could have convinced me that so severe a degree of cold ever existed +in this low latitude. Drops of water on a tin pot, not altogether out of +the influence of the fire, were frozen into solid ice in less than +twelve minutes. Part of a leg of kangaroo which we had roasted for supper +was frozen quite hard, all the juices of it being converted into ice. +On those ponds which were near the surface of the earth, the covering of ice +was very thick; but on those which were lower down it was found to be less so, +in proportion to their depression; and wherever the water was twelve feet +below the surface (which happened to be the case close to us) +it was uncongealed. It remains to be observed that the cold of both +these nights, at Rose Hill and Sydney, was judged to be greater than had +ever before been felt. + +[*All the trees of New South Wales, may I apprehend, be termed evergreen. +For after such weather as this journal records, I did not observe either +that the leaves had dropped off, or that they had assumed that sickly +autumnal tint, which marks English trees in corresponding circumstances.] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + + +Transactions of the Colony to the end of November, 1791. + + +The extreme dryness of the preceding summer has been noticed. It had operated +so far in the beginning of June that we dreaded a want of water for +common consumption most of the little reservoirs in the neighbourhood +of Sydney being dried up. The small stream near the town was so nearly +exhausted (being only the drain of a morass) that a ship could not have +watered at it, and the 'Supply' was preparing to sink casks in a swamp +when rain fell and banished our apprehensions. + +June, 1791. On the second instant, the name of the settlement, at the head +of the harbour (Rose Hill) was changed, by order of the governor, +to that of Parramatta, the native name of it. As Rose Hill has, however, +occurred so often in this book, I beg leave, to avoid confusion, +still to continue the appellation in all future mention of it. + +Our travelling friend Boladeree, who makes so conspicuous a figure +in the last chapter, about this time committed an offence which we were +obliged to notice. He threw a spear at a convict in the woods, +and wounded him. The truth was, some mischievous person belonging to us +had wantonly destroyed his canoe, and he revenged the injury on the first +of our people whom he met unarmed. He now seemed to think the matter +adjusted; and probably such is the custom they observe in their own society +in similar cases. Hearing, however, that an order was issued to seize him, +or in case that could not be effected, to shoot him, he prudently dropped +all connection with us and was for a long time not seen. + +But if they sometimes injured us, to compensate they were often +of signal benefit to those who needed their assistance: two instances +of which had recently occurred. A boat was overset in the harbour +Baneelon and some other natives, who saw the accident happen, immediately +plunged in, and saved all the people. When they had brought them on shore, +they undressed them, kindled a fire and dried their clothes, gave them +fish to eat and conducted them to Sydney. + +The other instance was of a soldier lost in the woods, when he met a party +of natives. He at first knew not whether to flee from them, or to implore +their assistance. Seeing among them one whom he knew, he determined +to communicate his distress to him and to rely on his generosity. +The Indian told him that he had wandered a long way from home, but that +he would conduct him thither, on the single condition of his delivering up +a gun which he held in his hand, promising to carry it for him and to +restore it to him at parting. The soldier felt little inclination +to surrender his arms, by which he would be put entirely in their power. +But seeing no alternative, he at last consented; on which the whole party +laid down their spears and faithfully escorted him to the nearest part +of the settlement, where the gun was given up, and they took their leave +without asking for any remuneration, or even seeming to expect it. + +The distressful state of the colony for provisions continued gradually +to augment until the 9th of July, when the Mary Anne transport arrived +from England. This ship had sailed from the Downs so lately as +the 25th of February, having been only four months and twelve days +on her passage. She brought out convicts, by contract, at a specific sum +for each person. But to demonstrate the effect of humanity and justice, +of 144 female convicts embarked on board only three had died, and the rest +were landed in perfect health, all loud in praise of their conductor. +The master's name was Munro; and his ship, after fulfilling her engagement +with government, was bound on the southern fishery. The reader must not +conclude that I sacrifice to dull detail, when he finds such benevolent +conduct minutely narrated. The advocates of humanity are not yet become +too numerous: but those who practise its divine precepts, however humble +and unnoticed be their station, ought not to sink into obscurity, +unrecorded and unpraised, with the vile monsters who deride misery +and fatten on calamity. + +July, 1791. If, however, the good people of this ship delighted us +with their benevolence, here gratification ended. I was of a party +who had rowed in a boat six miles out to sea, beyond the harbour's mouth, +to meet them; and what was our disappointment, on getting aboard, +to find that they had not brought a letter (a few official ones +for the governor excepted) to any person in the colony! Nor had they +a single newspaper or magazine in their possession; nor could they +conceive that any person wished to hear news; being as ignorant +of everything which had passed in Europe for the last two years +as ourselves, at the distance of half the circle. "No war--the fleet's +dismantled," was the whole that we could learn. When I asked whether +a new parliament had been called, they stared at me in stupid wonder, +not seeming to comprehend that such a body either suffered renovation +or needed it. + +"Have the French settled their government?" + +"As to that matter I can't say; I never heard; but, damn them, +they were ready enough to join the Spaniards against us." + +"Are Russia and Turkey at peace?" + +"That you see does not lie in my way; I have heard talk about it, +but don't remember what passed." + +"For heaven's sake, why did you not bring out a bundle of newspapers? +You might have procured a file at any coffee house, which would have +amused you, and instructed us?" + +"Why, really, I never thought about the matter until we were off +the Cape of Good Hope, when we spoke a man of war, who asked us +the same question, and then I wished I had." + +To have prosecuted inquiry farther would have only served to increase +disappointment and chagrin. We therefore quitted the ship, wondering +and lamenting that so large a portion of plain undisguised honesty +should be so totally unconnected with a common share of intelligence, +and acquaintance with the feelings and habits of other men. + +By the governor's letters we learned that a large fleet of transports, +with convicts on board, and His Majesty's ship Gorgon, (Captain Parker) +might soon be expected to arrive. The following intelligence +which they contained, was also made public. + + +That such convicts as had served their period of transportation, +were not to be compelled to remain in the colony; but that no +temptation should be offered to induce them to quit it, as there +existed but too much reason to believe, that they would return +to former practices; that those who might choose to settle in the +country should have portions of land, subject to stipulated +restrictions, and a portion of provisions assigned to them on +signifying their inclinations; and that it was expected, that +those convicts who might be possessed of means to transport +themselves from the country, would leave it free of all +incumbrances of a public nature. + + +The rest of the fleet continued to drop in, in this and the two +succeeding months. The state of the convicts whom they brought out, +though infinitely preferable to what the fleet of last year had landed, +was not unexceptionable. Three of the ships had naval agents on board +to control them. Consequently, if complaint had existed there, +it would have been immediately redressed. Exclusive of these, the +'Salamander', (Captain Nichols) who, of 155 men lost only five; and the +'William and Anne' (Captain Buncker) who of 187 men lost only seven, +I find most worthy of honourable mention. In the list of convicts brought out +was Barrington, of famous memory. + +Two of these ships also added to our geographic knowledge of the country. +The 'Atlantic', under the direction of Lieutenant Bowen, a naval agent, +ran into a harbour between Van Diemen's land, and Port Jackson, +in latitude 35 degrees 12 minutes south, longitude 151 degrees east, to which, +in honour of Sir John Jervis, Knight of the Bath, Mr. Bowen gave the name +of Port Jervis. Here was found good anchoring ground with a fine depth +of water, within a harbour about a mile and a quarter broad at its entrance, +which afterwards opens into a basin five miles wide and of considerable +length. They found no fresh water, but as their want of this article +was not urgent, they did not make sufficient researches to pronounce +that none existed there.* They saw, during the short time they stayed, +two kangaroos and many traces of inhabitants. The country at a little distance +to the southward of the harbour is hilly, but that contiguous to the sea +is flat. On comparing what they had found here afterwards, +with the native produce of Port Jackson, they saw no reason to think +that they differed in any respect. + +[*Just before I left the country, word was brought by a ship which had +put into Port Jervis, that a large fresh water brook was found there.] + + +The second discovery was made by Captain Wetherhead, of the 'Matilda' transport, +which was obligingly described to me, as follows, by that gentleman, +on my putting to him the underwritten questions. + +"When did you make your discovery?" + +"On the 27th of July, 1791." + +"In what latitude and longitude does it lie?" + +"In 42 degrees 15 minutes south by observation, and in 148 1/2 east +by reckoning" + +"Is it on the mainland or is it an island?" + +"It is an island, distant from the mainland about eight miles." + +"Did you anchor?" + +"Yes; and found good anchorage in a bay open about six points." + +"Did you see any other harbour or bay in the island?" + +"None." + +"Does the channel between the island and the main appear to afford +good shelter for shipping?" + +"Yes, like Spithead." + +"Did you find any water on the island?" + +"Yes, in plenty." + +"Of what size does the island appear to be?" + +"It is narrow and long; I cannot say how long. Its breadth is inconsiderable." + +"Did you make any observations on the soil?" + +"It is sandy; and many places are full of craggy rocks." + +"Do you judge the productions which you saw on the island to be similar +to those around Port Jackson?" + +"I do not think they differ in any respect." + +"Did you see any animals?" + +"I saw three kangaroos." + +"Did you see any natives, or any marks of them?" + +"I saw no natives, but I saw a fire, and several huts like those +at Port Jackson, in one of which lay a spear." + +"What name did you give to your discovery?" + +"I called it, in honour of my ship, Matilda Bay." + +November, 1791. A very extraordinary instance of folly stimulated +to desperation occurred in the beginning of this month among the convicts +at Rose Hill. Twenty men and a pregnant woman, part of those who had arrived +in the last fleet, suddenly disappeared with their clothes, working tools, +bedding, and their provisions, for the ensuing week, which had been +just issued to them. The first intelligence heard of them, was from +some convict settlers, who said they had seen them pass, and had enquired +whither they were bound. To which they had received for answer, "to China." +The extravagance and infatuation of such an attempt was explained to them +by the settlers; but neither derision, nor demonstration could avert them +from pursuing their purpose. It was observed by those who brought in +the account that they had general idea enough of the point of the compass +in which China lies from Port Jackson, to keep in a northerly direction. + +An officer with a detachment of troops, was sent in pursuit of them; +but after a harassing march returned without success. In the course +of a week the greatest part of them were either brought back by +different parties who had fallen in with them, or were driven in by famine. +Upon being questioned about the cause of their elopement, those whom hunger +had forced back, did not hesitate to confess that they had been +so grossly deceived as to believe that China might easily be reached, +being not more than 100 miles distant, and separated only by a river. +The others, however, ashamed of the merriment excited at their expense, +said that their reason for running away was on account of being overworked +and harshly treated, and that they preferred a solitary and precarious +existence in the woods to a return to the misery they were compelled +to undergo. One or two of the party had certainly perished by the hands +of the natives, who had also wounded several others. + +I trust that no man would feel more reluctant than myself to cast +an illiberal national reflection, particularly on a people whom I regard +in an aggregate sense as brethren and fellow-citizens; and among whom, +I have the honour to number many of the most cordial and endearing intimacies +which a life passed on service could generate. But it is certain +that all these people were Irish. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + + +Transactions of the colony until 18th of December 1791, +when I quitted it, with an Account of its state at that time. + + +The Gorgon had arrived on the 21st of September, and the hour of departure +to England, for the marine battalion, drew nigh. If I be allowed to speak +from my own feelings on the occasion, I will not say that we contemplated +its approach with mingled sensations: we hailed it with rapture +and exultation. + +The 'Supply', ever the harbinger of welcome and glad tidings, proclaimed +by her own departure, that ours was at hand. On the 26th of November +she sailed for England. It was impossible to view our separation +with insensibility: the little ship which had so often agitated our hopes +and fears, which from long acquaintance we had learned to regard as part +of ourselves, whose doors of hospitality had been ever thrown open +to relieve our accumulated wants, and chase our solitary gloom! + +In consequence of the offers made to the non-commissioned officers +and privates of the marine battalion to remain in the country as settlers +or to enter into the New South Wales corps, three corporals, one drummer +and 59 privates accepted of grants of land, to settle at Norfolk Island +and Rose Hill. Of these men, several were undoubtedly possessed +of sufficient skill and industry, by the assistance of the pay which was due +to them from the date of their embarkation, in the beginning of the year +1787, to the day on which they were discharged, to set out with reasonable +hopes of being able to procure a maintenance. But the only apparent reason +to which the behaviour of a majority of them could be ascribed was from +infatuated affection to female convicts, whose characters and habits of life, +I am sorry to say, promise from a connection neither honour nor tranquillity. + +The narrative part of this work will, I conceive, be best brought to +a termination by a description of the existing state of the colony, +as taken by myself a few days previous to my embarkation in the Gorgon, +to sail for England. + +December 2nd, 1791. Went up to Rose Hill. Public buildings here +have not greatly multiplied since my last survey. The storehouse +and barrack have been long completed; also apartments for the chaplain +of the regiment, and for the judge-advocate, in which last, +criminal courts, when necessary, are held; but these are petty erections. +In a colony which contains only a few hundred hovels built of twigs and mud, +we feel consequential enough already to talk of a treasury, an admiralty, +a public library and many other similar edifices, which are to form +part of a magnificent square. The great road from near the landing place +to the governor's house is finished, and a very noble one it is, +being of great breadth, and a mile long, in a strait line. In many places +it is carried over gullies of considerable depth, which have been filled up +with trunks of trees covered with earth. All the sawyers, carpenters +and blacksmiths will soon be concentred under the direction of +a very adequate person of the governor's household. This plan is already +so far advanced as to contain nine covered sawpits, which change of weather +cannot disturb the operations of, an excellent workshed for the carpenters +and a large new shop for the blacksmiths. It certainly promises to be +of great public benefit. A new hospital has been talked of for the last +two years, but is not yet begun. Two long sheds, built in the form of a tent +and thatched, are however finished, and capable of holding 200 patients. +The sick list of today contains 382 names. Rose Hill is less healthy +than it used to be. The prevailing disorder is a dysentery, which often +terminates fatally. There was lately one very violent putrid fever which, +by timely removal of the patient, was prevented from spreading. +Twenty-five men and two children died here in the month of November. + +When at the hospital I saw and conversed with some of the 'Chinese +travellers'; four of them lay here, wounded by the natives. I asked these men +if they really supposed it possible to reach China. They answered +that they were certainly made to believe (they knew not how) that +at a considerable distance to northward existed a large river, +which separated this country from the back part of China; and that when +it should be crossed (which was practicable) they would find themselves +among a copper-coloured people, who would receive and treat them kindly. +They added, that on the third day of their elopement, one of the party +died of fatigue; another they saw butchered by the natives who, +finding them unarmed, attacked them and put them to flight. This happened +near Broken Bay, which harbour stopped their progress to the northward +and forced them to turn to the right hand, by which means they soon after +found themselves on the sea shore, where they wandered about in a destitute +condition, picking up shellfish to allay hunger. Deeming the farther +prosecution of their scheme impracticable, several of them agreed to return +to Rose Hill, which with difficulty they accomplished, arriving +almost famished. On their road back they met six fresh adventurers +sallying forth to join them, to whom they related what had passed +and persuaded them to relinquish their intention. There are at this time +not less than thirty-eight convict men missing, who live in the woods by day, +and at night enter the different farms and plunder for subsistence. + +December 3rd, 1791. Began my survey of the cultivated land belonging to +the public. The harvest has commenced. They are reaping both wheat +and barley. The field between the barrack and the governor's house +contains wheat and maize, both very bad, but the former particularly so. +In passing through the main street I was pleased to observe the gardens +of the convicts look better than I had expected to find them. +The vegetables in general are but mean, but the stalks of maize, +with which they are interspersed, appear green and flourishing. +The semicircular hill, which sweeps from the overseer of the cattle's house +to the governor's house, is planted with maize, which, I am told, +is the best here. It certainly looks in most parts very good-- +stout thick stalks with large spreading leaves--but I am surprised +to find it so backward. It is at least a month later than that in the gardens +at Sydney. Behind the maize is a field of wheat, which looks tolerably +for this part of the world. It will, I reckon, yield about twelve bushels +an acre. Continued my walk and looked at a little patch of wheat +in the governor's garden, which was sown in drills, the ground +being first mixed with a clay which its discoverers pretended was marle. +Whatever it be, this experiment bespeaks not much in favour of +its enriching qualities; for the corn looks miserably, and is far exceeded +by some neighbouring spots on which no such advantage has been bestowed. +Went round the crescent at the bottom of the garden, which certainly +in beauty of form and situation is unrivalled in New South Wales. +Here are eight thousand vines planted, all of which in another season +are expected to bear grapes. Besides the vines are several small fruit trees, +which were brought in the Gorgon from the Cape, and look lively; +on one of them are half a dozen apples as big as nutmegs. Although the soil +of the crescent be poor, its aspect and circular figure, so advantageous +for receiving and retaining the rays of the sun, eminently fit it +for a vineyard. Passed the rivulet and looked at the corn land +on its northern side. On the western side of Clarke's* house the wheat +and maize are bad, but on the eastern side is a field supposed to be +the best in the colony. I thought it of good height, and the ears well filled, +but it is far from thick. + +[*Dod, who is mentioned in my former journal of this place, had died +some months ago. And Mr. Clarke, who was put in his room, is one of +the superintendants, sent out by government, on a salary of forty pounds +per annum. He was bred to husbandry, under his father at Lewes in Sussex; +and is, I conceive, competent to his office of principal conductor +of the agriculture of Rose Hill.] + +While I was looking at it, Clarke came up. I told him I thought +he would reap fifteen or sixteen bushels an acre; he seemed to think +seventeen or eighteen. I have now inspected all the European corn. +A man of so little experience of these matters as myself cannot speak +with much confidence. Perhaps the produce may average ten bushels an acre, +or twelve at the outside. Allowance should, however, be made in estimating +the quality of the soil, for the space occupied by roots of trees, +for inadequate culture, and in some measure to want of rain. Less has fallen +than was wished, but this spring was by no means so dry as the last. +I find that the wheat grown at Rose Hill last year weighed fifty-seven +pounds and a half per bushel. My next visit was to the cattle, +which consists of two stallions, six mares, and two colts; besides +sixteen cows, two cow-calves, and one bull-calf, which were brought out +by the Gorgon. Two bulls which were on board died on the passage, so that +on the young gentleman just mentioned depends the stocking of the colony. + +The period of the inhabitants of New South Wales being supplied with +animal food of their own raising is too remote for a prudent man to calculate. +The cattle look in good condition, and I was surprised to hear that +neither corn nor fodder is given to them. The enclosures in which +they are confined furnish hardly a blade of grass at present. There are +people appointed to tend them who have been used to this way of life, +and who seem to execute it very well. + +Sunday, December 4th, 1791. Divine service is now performed here +every Sunday, either by the chaplain of the settlement or the chaplain +of the regiment. I went to church today. Several hundred convicts +were present, the majority of whom I thought looked the most miserable +beings in the shape of humanity I ever beheld. They appeared to be +worn down with fatigue. + +December, 5th. Made excursions this day to view the public settlements. +Reached the first, which is about a mile in a north-west direction +from the governor's house. This settlement contains, by admeasurement, +134 acres, a part of which is planted with maize, very backward, +but in general tolerably good, and beautifully green. Thirteen large huts, +built in the form of a tent, are erected for the convicts who work here; +but I could not learn the number of these last, being unable to find +a superintendant or any person who could give me information. +Ponds of water here sufficient to supply a thousand persons. + +Walked on to the second settlement, about two miles farther, through +an uncleared country. Here met Daveney, the person who planned +and now superintends all the operations carried on here. He told me +that he estimated the quantity of cleared ground here at 300 acres. +He certainly over-rates it one-third, by the judgment of every other person. +Six weeks ago this was a forest. It has been cleared, and the wood +nearly burnt off the ground by 500 men, in the before-mentioned period, +or rather in thirty days, for only that number have the convicts worked. +He said it was too late to plant maize, and therefore he should sow turnips, +which would help to meliorate and prepare it for next year. On examining +the soil, I thought it in general light, though in some places loamy +to the touch. He means to try the Rose Hill 'marle' upon it, with which +he thinks it will incorporate well. I hope it will succeed better +than the experiment in the governor's garden. I wished to know +whether he had chosen this ground simply from the conveniency of its situation +to Rose Hill, and its easy form for tillage, and having water, +or from any marks which he had thought indicated good soil. He said that +what I had mentioned no doubt weighed with him, and that he judged the soil +to be good, from the limbs of many of the trees growing on it being +covered with moss. + +"Are," said I, "your 500 men still complete?" + +"No; this day's muster gave only 460. The rest are either sick +and removed to the hospital, or are run away in the woods." + +"How much is each labourer's daily task?" + +"Seven rods. It was eight, but on their representing to the governor +that it was beyond their strength to execute, he took off one." + +Thirteen large huts, similar to those beforementioned, contain +all the people here. To every hut are appointed two men, as hutkeepers, +whose only employment is to watch the huts in working hours to prevent them +from being robbed. This has somewhat checked depredations, and those endless +complaints of the convicts that they could not work because they had nothing +to eat, their allowance being stolen. The working hours at this season +(summer) are from five o'clock in the morning until ten; rest from ten to two; +return to work at two; and continue till sunset. This surely cannot be called +very severe toil; but on the other hand must be remembered the inadequacy +of a ration of salt provisions, with few vegetables, and unassisted by +any liquor but water. + +Here finished my remarks on every thing of a public nature at Rose Hill. +But having sufficient time, I determined to visit all the private settlers +to inspect their labours, and learn from them their schemes, their hopes +and expectations. + +In pursuance of my resolution, I crossed the country to Prospect Hill, +at the bottom of which live the following thirteen convicts, who have accepted +allotments of ground, and are become settlers. + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Men's names. | Trades. | Number of | Number of acres + | | acres in each | in cultivation. + | | allotment. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +John Silverthorne Weaver 40 1 3/4 +Thomas Martin " 40 1 1/2 +John Nichols Gardener 40 2 +William Butler*, and his wife Seaman 50 ) +---- Lisk* Watchmaker 40 ) 4 +William Parish, wife, and a child Seaman 60 2 3/4 +William Kilby, and his wife Husbandman 60 1 1/4 +Edward Pugh, wife, and two children Carpenter 70 2 1/2 +Samuel Griffith +John Herbertt** +James Castle +Joseph Marlow*** +John Williams, and his wife +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +[*In partnership.[Butler and Lisk] + +[**Not out of his time; but allowed to work here at his leisure hours, +as he has declared his intention of settling.] + +[***In a similar predicament with Herbert.] + +The terms on which these allotments have been granted are: +that the estates shall be fully ceded for ever to all who shall continue +to cultivate for five years, or more; that they shall be free of all taxes +for the first ten years; but after that period to pay an annual quit-rent +of one shilling. The penalty on non-performance of any of these articles +is forfeiture of the estate, and all the labour which may have been +bestowed upon it. These people are to receive provisions, +(the same quantity as the working convicts), clothes, and medicinal assistance, +for eighteen months from the day on which they settled. + +To clear and cultivate the land, a hatchet, a tomahawk, two hoes, a spade +and a shovel, are given to each person, whether man or woman; and a certain +number of cross-cut saws among the whole. To stock their farms, two sow pigs +were promised to each settler, but they almost all say they have not yet +received any, of which they complain loudly. They all received grain +to sow and plant for the first year. They settled here in July and +August last. Most of them were obliged to build their own houses; +and wretched hovels three-fourths of them are. Should any of them fall sick, +the rest are bound to assist the sick person two days in a month, +provided the sickness lasts not longer than two months; four days labour +in each year, from every person, being all that he is entitled to. +To give protection to this settlement, a corporal and two soldiers +are encamped in the centre of the farms, as the natives once attacked +the settlers and burnt one of their houses. These guards are, however, +inevitably at such a distance from some of the farms as to be unable +to afford them any assistance in case of another attack. + +With all these people I conversed and inspected their labours. +Some I found tranquil and determined to persevere, provided encouragement +should be given. Others were in a state of despondency, and predicted +that they should starve unless the period of eighteen months +during which they are to be clothed and fed, should be extended to three years. +Their cultivation is yet in its infancy, and therefore opinions should +not be hastily formed of what it may arrive at, with moderate skill +and industry. They have at present little in the ground besides maize, +and that looks not very promising. Some small patches of wheat which I saw +are miserable indeed. The greatest part of the land I think but indifferent, +being light and stoney. Of the thirteen farms ten are unprovided with water; +and at some of them they are obliged to fetch this necessary article +from the distance of a mile and a half. All the settlers complain sadly +of being frequently robbed by the runaway convicts, who plunder them +incessantly. + +December 6th. Visited the settlements to the northward of the rivulet. +The nearest of them lies about a mile due north of Mr. Clarke's house. +Here are only the undernamed five settlers. + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Men's names. | Trades. | Number of | Number of acres + | | acres in each | in cultivation. + | | allotment. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Thomas Brown*, wife, and child --- 60 ) +William Bradbury* --- 30 ) 3 1/2 +William Mold* --- 30 ) +Simon Burne, and wife Hosier 50 3 +----Parr, and wife Merchant's clerk 50 3 1/2 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +[*These three cultivate in partnership.(Brown, Bradbury, Mold.)] + +These settlers are placed on the same footing in every respect +which concerns their tenure and the assistance to be granted to them +as those at Prospect Hill. Near them is water. Parr and Burne are men +of great industry. They have both good houses which they hired people +to build for them. Parr told me that he had expended thirteen guineas +on his land, which nevertheless he does not seem pleased with. +Of the three poor fellows who work in partnership, one (Bradbury) is run away. +This man had been allowed to settle, on a belief, from his own assurance, +that his term of transportation was expired; but it was afterwards discovered +that he had been cast for life. Hereupon he grew desperate, and declared +he would rather perish at once than remain as a convict. He disappeared +a week ago and has never since been heard of. Were I compelled to settle +in New South Wales, I should fix my residence here, both from the appearance +of the soil, and its proximity to Rose Hill. A corporal and two privates +are encamped here to guard this settlement, as at Prospect. + +Proceeded to the settlement called the Ponds, a name which I suppose +it derived from several ponds of water which are near the farms. +Here reside the fourteen following settlers. + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Men's names. | Trades. | Number of | Number of acres + | | acres in each | in cultivation. + | | allotment. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Thomas Kelly Servant 30 1 1/2 +William Hubbard, and wife Plasterer 50 2 1/4 +Curtis Brand, and wife Carpenter 50 3 +John Ramsay, and wife Seaman 50 3 1/2 +William Field --- 30 2 1/2 +John Richards* Stone-cutter 30 ) 4 1/2 +John Summers* Husbandman 30 ) +----Varnell --- 30 1 +Anthony Rope**, and wife, and +two children Bricklayer 70 1 +Joseph Bishop, and wife None 50 1 1/2 +Mathew Everingham, and wife Attorney's clerk 50 2 +John Anderson, and wife --- 50 2 +Edward Elliot*** Husbandman 30 ) 2 +Joseph Marshall*** Weaver 30 ) +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +[*They (Richards and Summers) cultivate in partnership.] +[**A convict who means to settle here; and is permitted to work +in his leisure hours.] +[***They (Elliot and Marshall) cultivate in partnership.] + +The Prospect Hill terms of settlement extend to this place. My private +remarks were not many. Some spots which I passed over I thought desirable, +particularly Ramsay's farm; and he deserves a good spot, for he is a civil, +sober, industrious man. Besides his corn land, he has a well laid out +little garden, in which I found him and his wife busily at work. +He praised her industry to me; and said he did not doubt of succeeding. +It is not often seen that sailors make good farmers; but this man I think +bids fair to contradict the observation. The gentleman of no trade +(his own words to me) will, I apprehend, at the conclusion of the time +when victualling from the store is to cease, have the honour of returning +to drag a timber or brick cart for his maintenance. The little maize +he has planted is done in so slovenly a style as to promise a very poor crop. +He who looks forward to eat grapes from his own vine, and to sit +under the shade of his own fig-tree, must labour in every country. +He must exert more than ordinary activity. The attorney's clerk +I also thought out of his province. I dare believe that he finds cultivating +his own land not half so easy a task as he formerly found that of +stringing together volumes of tautology to encumber, or convey away, +that of his neighbour. Hubbard's farm, and Kelly's also, deserve regard, +from being better managed than most of the others. The people here +complain sadly of a destructive grub which destroys the young plants of maize. +Many of the settlers have been obliged to plant twice, nay thrice, +on the same land, from the depredations of these reptiles. There is +the same guard here as at the other settlements. + +Nothing now remains for inspection but the farms on the river side. + +December 7th. Went to Scheffer's farm. I found him at home, conversed +with him, and walked with him over all his cultivated ground. He had +140 acres granted to him, fourteen of which are in cultivation, +twelve in maize, one in wheat and one in vines and tobacco. He has besides +twenty-three acres on which the trees are cut down but not burnt off the land. +He resigned his appointment and began his farm last May, and had at first +five convicts to assist him; he has now four. All his maize, +except three acres, is mean. This he thinks may be attributed to three causes: +a middling soil; too dry a spring; and from the ground not being +sufficiently pulverized before the seed was put into it. The wheat is thin +and poor: he does not reckon its produce at more than eight or nine bushels. +His vines, 900 in number, are flourishing, and will, he supposes, bear fruit +next year. His tobacco plants are not very luxuriant: to these two +last articles he means principally to direct his exertions. He says +(and truly) that they will always be saleable and profitable. On one +of the boundaries of his land is plenty of water. A very good brick house +is nearly completed for his use, by the governor; and in the meantime +he lives in a very decent one, which was built for him on his settling here. +He is to be supplied with provisions from the public store, and with +medical assistance for eighteen months, reckoning from last May. +At the expiration of this period he is bound to support himself +and the four convicts are to be withdrawn. But if he shall then, +or at any future period, declare himself able to maintain a moderate number +of these people for their labour, they will be assigned to him. + +Mr. Scheffer is a man of industry and respectable character. He came out +to this country as superintendant of convicts, at a salary of forty pounds +per annum, and brought with him a daughter of twelve years old. He is +by birth a Hessian, and served in America, in a corps of Yaghers, +with the rank of lieutenant. He never was professionally, in any part of life, +a farmer, but he told me, that his father owned a small estate on the banks +of the Rhine, on which he resided, and that he had always been fond +of looking at and assisting in his labours, particularly in the vineyard. +In walking along, he more than once shook his head and made some +mortifying observations on the soil of his present domain, compared with +the banks of his native stream. He assured me that (exclusive of the sacrifice +of his salary) he has expended more than forty pounds in advancing his ground +to the state in which I saw it. Of the probability of success +in his undertaking, he spoke with moderation and good sense. Sometimes +he said he had almost despaired, and had often balanced about relinquishing it; +but had as often been checked by recollecting that hardly any difficulty +can arise which vigour and perseverance will not overcome. I asked him +what was the tenure on which he held his estate. He offered to show +the written document, saying that it was exactly the same as Ruse's. +I therefore declined to trouble him, and took my leave with wishes +for his success and prosperity. + +Near Mr. Scheffer's farm is a small patch of land cleared by Lieutenant Townson +of the New South Wales corps, about two acres of which are in maize and wheat, +both looking very bad. + +Proceeded to the farm of Mr. Arndell, one of the assistant surgeons. +This gentleman has six acres in cultivation as follows: rather more than four +in maize, one in wheat, and the remainder in oats and barley. The wheat +looks tolerably good, rather thin but of a good height, and the ears +well filled. His farming servant guesses the produce will be twelve bushels,* +and I do not think he over-rates it. The maize he guesses at thirty bushels, +which from appearances it may yield, but not more. The oats and barley +are not contemptible. This ground has been turned up but once The aspect +of it is nearly south, on a declivity of the river, or arm of the sea, +on which Rose Hill stands. It was cleared of wood about nine months ago, +and sown this year for the first time. + +[*I have received a letter from Port Jackson, dated in April 1792, +which states that the crop of wheat turned out fifteen bushels, +and the maize rather more than forty bushels.] + +December 8th. Went this morning to the farm of Christopher Magee, +a convict settler, nearly opposite to that of Mr. Scheffen. The situation +of this farm is very eligible, provided the river in floods does not +inundate it, which I think doubtful. This man was bred to husbandry, +and lived eight years in America; he has no less than eight acres +in cultivation, five and a half in maize, one in wheat, and one and a half +in tobacco. From the wheat he does not expect more than ten bushels, +but he is extravagant enough to rate the produce of maize at 100 bushels +(perhaps he may get fifty); on tobacco he means to go largely hereafter. +He began to clear this ground in April, but did not settle until last July. +I asked by what means he had been able to accomplish so much? He answered, +"By industry, and by hiring all the convicts I could get to work +in their leisure hours, besides some little assistance which the governor +has occasionally thrown in." His greatest impediment is want of water, +being obliged to fetch all he uses more than half a mile. He sunk a well, +and found water, but it was brackish and not fit to drink. If this man +shall continue in habits of industry and sobriety, I think him sure +of succeeding. + +Reached Ruse's farm,* and begged to look at his grant, the material part +of which runs thus: "A lot of thirty acres, to be called Experiment Farm; +the said lot to be holden, free of all taxes, quit-rents, &c. for ten years, +provided that the occupier, his heirs or assigns, shall reside within the same, +and proceed to the improvement thereof; reserving, however, for the use +of the crown, all timber now growing, or which hereafter shall grow, +fit for naval purposes. At the expiration of ten years, an annual quit-rent +of one shilling shall be paid by the occupier in acknowledgment." + +[*See the state of this farm in my former Rose Hill journal +of November 1790, thirteen months before.] + +Ruse now lives in a comfortable brick house, built for him by the governor. +He has eleven acres and a half in cultivation, and several more +which have been cleared by convicts in their leisure hours, on condition +of receiving the first year's crop. He means to cultivate little +besides maize; wheat is so much less productive. Of the culture of vineyards +and tobacco he is ignorant; and, with great good sense, he declared +that he would not quit the path he knew, for an uncertainty. +His livestock consists of four breeding sows and thirty fowls. +He has been taken from the store (that is, has supplied himself +with provisions) for some months past; and his wife is to be taken off +at Christmas, at which time, if he deems himself able to maintain +a convict labourer, one is to be given to him. + +Crossed the river in a boat to Robert Webb's farm. This man was one of +the seamen of the 'Sirius', and has taken, in conjunction with his brother +(also a seaman of the same ship) a grant of sixty acres, on the same terms +as Ruse, save that the annual quit-rent is to commence at the expiration +of five years, instead of ten. The brother is gone to England to receive +the wages due to them both for their services, which money is to be expended +by him in whatever he judges will be most conducive to the success +of their plan. Webb expects to do well; talks as a man should talk +who has just set out on a doubtful enterprise which he is bound to pursue. +He is sanguine in hope, and looks only at the bright side of the prospect. +He has received great encouragement and assistance from the governor. +He has five acres cleared and planted with maize, which looks thriving, +and promises to yield a decent crop. His house and a small one adjoining +for pigs and poultry were built for him by the governor, who also gave him +two sows and seven fowls, to which he adds a little stock of his own acquiring. + +Near Webb is placed William Read, another seaman of the 'Sirius', +on the same terms, and to whom equal encouragement has been granted. + +My survey of Rose Hill is now closed. I have inspected every piece of ground +in cultivation here, both public and private, and have written from +actual examination only. + +But before I bade adieu to Rose Hill, in all probability for the last time +of my life, it struck me that there yet remained one object of consideration +not to be slighted: Barrington had been in the settlement between two +and three months, and I had not seen him. + +I saw him with curiosity. He is tall, approaching to six feet, slender, +and his gait and manner, bespeak liveliness and activity. Of that elegance +and fashion, with which my imagination had decked him (I know not why), +I could distinguish no trace. Great allowance should, however, be made +for depression and unavoidable deficiency of dress. His face is thoughtful +and intelligent; to a strong cast of countenance he adds a penetrating eye, +and a prominent forehead. His whole demeanour is humble, not servile. +Both on his passage from England, and since his arrival here, his conduct +has been irreproachable. He is appointed high-constable of the settlement +of Rose Hill, a post of some respectability, and certainly one of importance +to those who live here. His knowledge of men, particularly of that part +of them into whose morals, manners and behaviour he is ordered +especially to inspect, eminently fit him for the office. + +I cannot quit him without bearing my testimony that his talents promise to be +directed in future to make reparation to society for the offences he has +heretofore committed against it. + +The number of persons of all descriptions at Rose Hill at this period +will be seen in the following return. + + +A return of the number of persons at Rose Hill, 3rd of December 1791 + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Quality. |Men.|Women.| Children + | | | of 10 years | of 2 years | under 2 years +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Convicts* 1336 133 0 9 17 +Troops 94 9 1 5 2 +Civil Department 7 0 0 0 0 +Seamen Settlers 3 0 0 0 0 +Free Persons 0 7 2 1 2 +Total number of +persons 1440 149 3 15 21 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +[*The convicts who are become settlers, are included in this number.] + +Of my Sydney journal, I find no part sufficiently interesting to +be worth extraction. This place had long been considered only as a depot +for stores. It exhibited nothing but a few old scattered huts and some +sterile gardens. Cultivation of the ground was abandoned, and all our strength +transferred to Rose Hill. Sydney, nevertheless, continued to be the place +of the governor's residence, and consequently the headquarters of the colony. +No public building of note, except a storehouse, had been erected since +my last statement. The barracks, so long talked of, so long promised, +for the accommodation and discipline of the troops, were not even begun +when I left the country; and instead of a new hospital, the old one +was patched up and, with the assistance of one brought ready-framed +from England, served to contain the sick. + +The employment of the male convicts here, as at Rose Hill, +was the public labour. Of the women, the majority were compelled +to make shirts, trousers and other necessary parts of dress for the men, +from materials delivered to them from the stores, into which they returned +every Saturday night the produce of their labour, a stipulated weekly task +being assigned to them. In a more early stage, government sent out +all articles of clothing ready made; but, by adopting the present +judicious plan, not only a public saving is effected, but employment +of a suitable nature created for those who would otherwise consume leisure +in idle pursuits only. + +On the 26th of November 1791, the number of persons, of all descriptions, +at Sydney, was 1259, to which, if 1628 at Rose Hill and 1172 at Norfolk Island +be added, the total number of persons in New South Wales and its dependency +will be found to amount to 4059.* + +[*A very considerable addition to this number has been made since I quitted +the settlement, by fresh troops and convicts sent thither from England.] + +On the 13th of December 1791, the marine battalion embarked on board +His Majesty's ship Gorgon, and on the 18th sailed for England. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + + +Miscellaneous Remarks on the country. On its vegetable productions. +On its climate. On its animal productions. On its natives, etc. + + +The journals contained in the body of this publication, illustrated by +the map which accompanies it (unfortunately, there is no map accompanying +this etext), are, I conceive, so descriptive of every part of the country +known to us, that little remains to be added beyond a few general observations. + +The first impression made on a stranger is certainly favourable. +He sees gently swelling hills connected by vales which possess every beauty +that verdure of trees, and form, simply considered in itself, can produce; +but he looks in vain for those murmuring rills and refreshing springs +which fructify and embellish more happy lands. Nothing like those +tributary streams which feed rivers in other countries are here seen; +for when I speak of the stream at Sydney, I mean only the drain of a morass; +and the river at Rose Hill is a creek of the harbour, which above +high water mark would not in England be called even a brook. Whence +the Hawkesbury, the only fresh water river known to exist in the country, +derives its supplies, would puzzle a transient observer. He sees nothing +but torpid unmeaning ponds (often stagnant and always still, unless agitated +by heavy rains) which communicate with it. Doubtless the springs which arise +in Carmarthen mountains may be said to constitute its source. +To cultivate its banks within many miles of the bed of the stream +(except on some elevated detached spots) will be found impracticable, +unless some method be devised of erecting a mound, sufficient to repel +the encroachments of a torrent which sometimes rises fifty feet above +its ordinary level, inundating the surrounding country in every direction. + +The country between the Hawkesbury and Rose Hill is that which I have hitherto +spoken of. When the river is crossed, this prospect soon gives place +to a very different one. The green vales and moderate hills disappear +at the distance of about three miles from the river side, and from Knight Hill, +and Mount Twiss,* the limits which terminate our researches, +nothing but precipices, wilds and deserts, are to be seen. Even these steeps +fail to produce streams. The difficulty of penetrating this country, +joined to the dread of a sudden rise of the Hawkesbury, forbidding all return, +has hitherto prevented our reaching Carmarthen mountains. + +[*Look at the Map. (There is no map accompanying this etext)] + +Let the reader now cast his eye on the relative situation of Port Jackson. +He will see it cut off from communication with the northward by Broken Bay, +and with the southward by Botany Bay; and what is worse, the whole space +of intervening country yet explored, (except a narrow strip called +the Kangaroo Ground) in both directions, is so bad as to preclude cultivation. + +The course of the Hawkesbury will next attract his attention. +To the southward of every part of Botany Bay we have traced this river; +but how much farther in that line it extends we know not. Hence its channel +takes a northerly direction, and finishes its course in Broken Bay, +running at the back of Port Jackson in such a manner as to form +the latter into a peninsula. + +The principal question then remaining is, what is the distance between +the head of Botany Bay and the part of the Hawkesbury nearest to it? +And is the intermediate country a good one, or does it lead to one +which appearances indicate to be good? To future adventurers who shall meet +with more encouragement to persevere and discover than I and my fellow +wanderer[s] did, I resign the answer. In the meantime the reader is desired +to look at the remarks on the map (there is no map accompanying this etext), +which were made in the beginning of August 1790, from Pyramid Hill, +which bounded our progress on the southern expedition; when, and when only, +this part of the country has been seen. + +It then follows that from Rose Hill to within such a distance +of the Hawkesbury as is protected from its inundations, is the only tract +of land we yet know of, in which cultivation can be carried on +for many years to come. To aim at forming a computation of the distance +of time, of the labour and of the expense, which would attend +forming distinct convict settlements, beyond the bounds I have delineated; +or of the difficulty which would attend a system of communication +between such establishments and Port Jackson, is not intended here. + +Until that period shall arrive, the progress of cultivation, +when it shall have once passed Prospect Hill, will probably steal along +to the southward, in preference to the northward, from the superior nature +of the country in that direction, as the remarks inserted in the map +will testify. + +Such is my statement of a plan which I deem inevitably entailed on +the settlement at Port Jackson. In sketching this outline of it +let it not be objected that I suppose the reader as well acquainted with +the respective names and boundaries of the country as long residence +and unwearied journeying among them, have made the author. To have subjoined +perpetual explanations would have been tedious and disgusting. Familiarity +with the relative positions of a country can neither be imparted, +or acquired, but by constant recurrence to geographic delineations. + +On the policy of settling, with convicts only, a country at once so remote +and extensive, I shall offer no remarks. Whenever I have heard this question +agitated, since my return to England, the cry of, "What can we do with them! +Where else can they be sent!" has always silenced me. + +Of the soil, opinions have not differed widely. A spot eminently fruitful +has never been discovered. That there are many spots cursed with everlasting +and unconquerable sterility no one who has seen the country will deny. +At the same time I am decidedly of opinion that many large tracts of land +between Rose Hill and the Hawkesbury, even now, are of a nature +sufficiently favourable to produce moderate crops of whatever may be sown +in them. And provided a sufficient number of cattle* be imported +to afford manure for dressing the ground, no doubt can exist that subsistence +for a limited number of inhabitants may be drawn from it. To imperfect +husbandry, and dry seasons, must indubitably be attributed part +of the deficiency of former years. Hitherto all our endeavours to derive +advantage from mixing the different soils have proved fruitless, +though possibly only from want of skill on our side. + +[*In my former narrative I have particularly noticed the sudden disappearance +of the cattle, which we had brought with us into the country. Not a trace +of them has ever since been observed. Their fate is a riddle, so difficult +of solution that I shall not attempt it. Surely had they strayed inland, +in some of our numerous excursions, marks of them must have been found. +It is equally impossible to believe that either the convicts or natives +killed and ate them, without some sign of detection ensuing.] + +The spontaneous productions of the soil will be soon recounted. +Every part of the country is a forest: of the quality of the wood +take the following instance. The 'Supply' wanted wood for a mast, +and more than forty of the choicest young trees were cut down before +as much wood as would make it could be procured, the trees being either rotten +at the heart or riven by the gum which abounds in them. This gum +runs not always in a longitudinal direction in the body of the tree, +but is found in it in circles, like a scroll. There is however, a species +of light wood which is found excellent for boat building, but it is scarce +and hardly ever found of large size. + +To find limestone many of our researches were directed. But after repeated +assays with fire and chemical preparations on all the different sorts of stone +to be picked up, it is still a desideratum. Nor did my experiments +with a magnet induce me to think that any of the stones I tried contained iron. +I have, however, heard other people report very differently on this head. + +The list of esculent vegetables, and wild fruits is too contemptible +to deserve notice, if the 'sweet tea' whose virtues have been already recorded, +and the common orchis root be excepted. That species of palm tree +which produces the mountain cabbage is also found in most of the freshwater +swamps, within six or seven miles of the coast. But is rarely seen +farther inland. Even the banks of the Hawkesbury are unprovided with it. +The inner part of the trunk of this tree was greedily eaten by our hogs, +and formed their principal support. The grass, as has been remarked +in former publications, does not overspread the land in a continued sward, +but arises in small detached tufts, growing every way about three inches apart, +the intermediate space being bare; though the heads of the grass are often +so luxuriant as to hide all deficiency on the surface. The rare +and beautiful flowering shrubs, which abound in every part, deserve +the highest admiration and panegyric. + +Of the vegetable productions transplanted from other climes, maize flourishes +beyond any other grain. And as it affords a strong and nutritive article +of food, its propagation will, I think, altogether supersede that +of wheat and barley. + +Horticulture has been attended in some places with tolerable success. +At Rose Hill I have seen gardens which, without the assistance of manure, +have continued for a short time to produce well grown vegetables. +But at Sydney, without constantly dressing the ground, it was in vain +to expect them; and with it a supply of common vegetables might be procured +by diligence in all seasons. Vines of every sort seem to flourish. +Melons, cucumbers and pumpkins run with unbounded luxuriancy, +and I am convinced that the grapes of New South Wales will, in a few years, +equal those of any other country. 'That their juice will probably +hereafter furnish an indispensable article of luxury at European tables', +has already been predicted in the vehemence of speculation. Other fruits +are yet in their infancy; but oranges, lemons and figs, (of which last +indeed I have eaten very good ones) will, I dare believe, in a few years +become plentiful. Apples and the fruits of colder climes also promise +to gratify expectation. The banana-tree has been introduced +from Norfolk Island, where it grows spontaneously. + +Nor will this surprise, if the genial influence of the climate be considered. +Placed in a latitude where the beams of the sun in the dreariest season +are sufficiently powerful for many hours of the day to dispense warmth +and nutrition, the progress of vegetation never is at a stand. +The different temperatures of Rose Hill and Sydney in winter, though only +twelve miles apart, afford, however, curious matter of speculation. +Of a well attested instance of ice being seen at the latter place, +I never heard. At the former place its production is common, and once +a few flakes of snow fell. The difference can be accounted for +only by supposing that the woods stop the warm vapours of the sea +from reaching Rose Hill, which is at the distance of sixteen miles inland; +whereas Sydney is but four.* Again, the heats of summer are more violent +at the former place than at the latter, and the variations +incomparably quicker. The thermometer has been known to alter at Rose Hill, +in the course of nine hours, more than 50 degrees; standing a little before +sunrise at 50 degrees, and between one and two at more than 100 degrees. +To convey an idea of the climate in summer, I shall transcribe +from my meteorological journal, accounts of two particular days +which were the hottest we ever suffered under at Sydney. + +[*Look at the journal which describes the expedition in search of the river, +said to exist to the southward of Rose Hill. At the time we felt +that extraordinary degree of cold were not more than six miles south west +of Rose Hill, and about nineteen miles from the the sea coast. +When I mentioned this circumstance to colonel Gordon, at the Cape of Good Hope, +he wondered at it; and owned, that, in his excursions into the interior parts +of Africa, he had never experienced anything to match it: he attributed +its production to large beds of nitre, which he said must exist +in the neighbourhood.] + +December 27th 1790. Wind NNW; it felt like the blast of a heated oven, +and in proportion as it increased the heat was found to be more intense, +the sky hazy, the sun gleaming through at intervals. + + +At 9 a.m. 85 degrees +At noon 104 +Half past twelve 107 1/2 +From one p.m. until 20 +minutes past two 108 1/2 +At 20 minutes past two 109 +At Sunset 89 +At 11 p.m. 78 1/2 + +[By a large Thermometer made by Ramsden, and graduated on Fahrenheit's scale.] + +December 28th. + +At 8 a.m. 86 +10 a.m. 93 +11 a.m. 101 +At noon 103 1/2 +Half an hour past noon 104 1/2 +At one p.m. 102 +At 5 p.m. 73 +At sunset 69 1/2 + +[At a quarter past one, it stood at only 89 degrees, having, +from a sudden shift of wind, fallen 13 degrees in 15 minutes.] + + +My observations on this extreme heat, succeeded by so rapid a change, +were that of all animals, man seemed to bear it best. Our dogs, pigs +and fowls, lay panting in the shade, or were rushing into the water. +I remarked that a hen belonging to me, which had sat for a fortnight, +frequently quitted her eggs, and shewed great uneasiness, +but never remained from them many minutes at one absence; taught by instinct +that the wonderful power in the animal body of generating cold in air +heated beyond a certain degree, was best calculated for the production +of her young. The gardens suffered considerably. All the plants +which had not taken deep root were withered by the power of the sun. +No lasting ill effects, however, arose to the human constitution. +A temporary sickness at the stomach, accompanied with lassitude and headache, +attacked many, but they were removed generally in twenty-four hours +by an emetic, followed by an anodyne. During the time it lasted, +we invariably found that the house was cooler than the open air, and that +in proportion as the wind was excluded, was comfort augmented. + +But even this heat was judged to be far exceeded in the latter end +of the following February, when the north-west wind again set in, +and blew with great violence for three days. At Sydney, it fell short +by one degree of what I have just recorded: but at Rose Hill, it was allowed, +by every person, to surpass all that they had before felt, either there +or in any other part of the world. Unluckily they had no thermometer +to ascertain its precise height. It must, however, have been intense, +from the effects it produced. An immense flight of bats driven before +the wind, covered all the trees around the settlement, whence they every moment +dropped dead or in a dying state, unable longer to endure the burning state +of the atmosphere. Nor did the 'perroquettes', though tropical birds, +bear it better. The ground was strewn with them in the same condition +as the bats. + +Were I asked the cause of this intolerable heat, I should not hesitate +to pronounce that it was occasioned by the wind blowing over immense deserts, +which, I doubt not, exist in a north-west direction from Port Jackson, +and not from fires kindled by the natives. This remark I feel necessary, +as there were methods used by some persons in the colony, both for estimating +the degree of heat and for ascertaining the cause of its production, +which I deem equally unfair and unphilosophical. The thermometer, +whence my observations were constantly made, was hung in the open air +in a southern aspect, never reached by the rays of the sun, at the distance +of several feet above the ground. + +My other remarks on the climate will be short. It is changeable +beyond any other I ever heard of; but no phenomena sufficiently accurate +to reckon upon, are found to indicate the approach of alteration. +Indeed, for the first eighteen months that we lived in the country, +changes were supposed to take place more commonly at the quartering +of the moon than at other times. But lunar empire afterwards lost its credit. +For the last two years and a half of our residing at Port Jackson, +its influence was unperceived. Three days together seldom passed +without a necessity occurring for lighting a fire in an evening. +A 'habit d'ete', or a 'habit de demi saison', would be in the highest degree +absurd. Clouds, storms and sunshine pass in rapid succession. Of rain, +we found in general not a sufficiency, but torrents of water sometimes fall. +Thunder storms, in summer, are common and very tremendous, +but they have ceased to alarm, from rarely causing mischief. Sometimes +they happen in winter. I have often seen large hailstones fall. +Frequent strong breezes from the westward purge the air. These are almost +invariably attended with a hard clear sky. The easterly winds, +by setting in from the sea, bring thick weather and rain, except in summer, +when they become regular sea-breezes. The 'aurora australis' +is sometimes seen, but is not distinguished by superior brilliancy. + +To sum up: notwithstanding the inconveniences which I have enumerated, +I will venture to assert in few words, that no climate hitherto known +is more generally salubrious*, or affords more days on which those pleasures +which depend on the state of the atmosphere can be enjoyed, +than that of New South Wales. The winter season is particularly delightful. + +[*To this cause, I ascribe the great number of births which happened, +considering the age and other circumstances, of many of the mothers. +Women who certainly would never have bred in any other climate here produced +as fine children as ever were born.] + +The leading animal production is well known to be the kangaroo. +The natural history of this animal will, probably, be written +from observations made upon it in England, as several living ones +of both sexes, have been brought home. Until such an account shall appear, +probably the following desultory observation may prove acceptable. + +The genus in which the kangaroo is to be classed I leave to better naturalists +than myself to determine. How it copulates, those who pretend to have seen +disagree in their accounts: nor do we know how long the period +of gestation lasts. Prolific it cannot be termed, bringing forth +only one at a birth, which the dam carries in her pouch wherever she goes +until the young one be enabled to provide for itself; and even then, +in the moment of alarm, she will stop to receive and protect it. +We have killed she-kangaroos whose pouches contained young ones +completely covered with fur and of more than fifteen pounds weight, +which had ceased to suck and afterwards were reared by us. In what space +of time it reaches such a growth as to be abandoned entirely by the mother, +we are ignorant. It is born blind, totally bald, the orifice of the ear +closed and only just the centre of the mouth open, but a black score, +denoting what is hereafter to form the dimension of the mouth, +is marked very distinctly on each side of the opening. At its birth, +the kangaroo (notwithstanding it weighs when full grown 200 pounds) +is not so large as a half-grown mouse. I brought some with me to England +even less, which I took from the pouches of the old ones. +This phenomenon is so striking and so contrary to the general laws of nature, +that an opinion has been started that the animal is brought forth +not by the pudenda, but descends from the belly into the pouch +by one of the teats, which are there deposited. On this difficulty +as I can throw no light, I shall hazard no conjecture. It may, however, +be necessary to observe that the teats are several inches long +and capable of great dilatation. And here I beg leave to correct an error +which crept into my former publication wherein I asserted that, +"the teats of the kangaroo never exceed two in number." They sometimes, +though rarely, amount to four. There is great reason to believe +that they are slow of growth and live many years. This animal has a clavicle, +or collar-bone, similar to that of the human body. The general colour +of the kangaroo is very like that of the ass, but varieties exist. +Its shape and figure are well known by the plates which have been given of it. +The elegance of the ear is particularly deserving of admiration. +This far exceeds the ear of the hare in quickness of sense and is so flexible +as to admit of being turned by the animal nearly quite round the head, +doubtless for the purpose of informing the creature of the approach +of its enemies, as it is of a timid nature, and poorly furnished +with means of defence; though when compelled to resist, it tears +furiously with its forepaws, and strikes forward very hard with its hind legs. +Notwithstanding its unfavourable conformation for such a purpose, +its swims strongly; but never takes to the water unless so hard pressed +by its pursuers as to be left without all other refuge. The noise +they make is a faint bleat, querulous, but not easy to describe. +They are sociable animals and unite in droves, sometimes to the number +of fifty or sixty together; when they are seen playful and feeding on grass, +which alone forms their food. At such time they move gently about +like all other quadrupeds, on all fours; but at the slightest noise +they spring up on their hind legs and sit erect, listening to what +it may proceed from, and if it increases they bound off on those legs only, +the fore ones at the same time being carried close to the breast +like the paws of a monkey; and the tail stretched out, acts as a rudder +on a ship. In drinking, the kangaroo laps. It is remarkable +that they are never found in a fat state, being invariably lean. +Of the flesh we always eat with avidity, but in Europe it would not +be reckoned a delicacy. A rank flavour forms the principal objection to it. +The tail is accounted the most delicious part, when stewed. + +Hitherto I have spoken only of the large, or grey kangaroo, to which +the natives give the name of 'patagaran'.* But there are +(besides the kangaroo-rat) two other sorts. One of them we called +the red kangaroo, from the colour of its fur, which is like that of a hare, +and sometimes is mingled with a large portion of black: the natives +call it 'bagaray'. It rarely attains to more than forty pounds weight. +The third sort is very rare, and in the formation of its head resembles +the opossum. The kangaroo-rat is a small animal, never reaching, +at its utmost growth, more than fourteen or fifteen pounds, +and its usual size is not above seven or eight pounds. It joins to the head +and bristles of a rat the leading distinctions of a kangaroo, by running +when pursued on its hind legs only, and the female having a pouch. +Unlike the kangaroo, who appears to have no fixed place of residence, +this little animal constructs for itself a nest of grass, on the ground, +of a circular figure, about ten inches in diameter, with a hole on one side +for the creature to enter at; the inside being lined with a finer sort +of grass, very soft and downy. But its manner of carrying the materials +with which it builds the nest is the greatest curiosity: by entwining +its tail (which, like that of all the kangaroo tribe, is long, flexible +and muscular) around whatever it wants to remove, and thus dragging along +the load behind it. This animal is good to eat; but whether it be +more prolific at a birth than the kangaroo, I know not. + +[*kangaroo was a name unknown to them for any animal, until we introduced it. +When I showed Colbee the cows brought out in the Gorgon, he asked me +if they were kangaroos.] + +The Indians sometimes kill the kangaroo; but their greatest destroyer +is the wild dog,* who feeds on them. Immediately on hearing or seeing +this formidable enemy, the kangaroo flies to the thickest cover, in which, +if he can involve himself, he generally escapes. In running to the cover, +they always, if possible, keep in paths of their own forming, to avoid +the high grass and stumps of trees which might be sticking up among it +to wound them and impede their course. + +[*I once found in the woods the greatest part of a kangaroo +just killed by the dogs, which afforded to three of us a most welcome repast. +Marks of its turns and struggles on the ground were very visible. +This happened in the evening, and the dogs probably had seen us approach +and had run away. At daylight next morning they saluted us +with most dreadful howling for the loss of their prey.] + +Our methods of killing them were but two; either we shot them, or hunted them +with greyhounds. We were never able to ensnare them. Those sportsmen +who relied on the gun seldom met with success, unless they slept near covers, +into which the kangaroos were wont to retire at night, and watched +with great caution and vigilance when the game, in the morning, +sallied forth to feed. They were, however, sometimes stolen in upon +in the day-time and that fascination of the eye, which has been +by some authors so much insisted upon, so far acts on the kangaroo +that if he fixes his eye upon any one, and no other object move at the same +time, he will often continue motionless, in stupid gaze, while the sportsman +advances with measured step, towards him, until within reach of his gun. +The greyhounds for a long time were incapable of taking them; but with a brace +of dogs, if not near cover a kangaroo almost always falls, since the greyhounds +have acquired by practice the proper method of fastening upon them. +Nevertheless the dogs are often miserably torn by them. The rough wiry +greyhound suffers least in the conflict, and is most prized by the hunters. + +Other quadrupeds, besides the wild dog, consist only of the flying squirrel, +of three kinds of opossums and some minute animals, usually marked +by the distinction which so peculiarly characterizes the opossum tribe. +The rats, soon after our landing, became not only numerous but formidable, +from the destruction they occasioned in the stores. Latterly they had +almost disappeared, though to account for their absence were not easy. +The first time Colbee saw a monkey, he called 'wurra' (a rat); +but on examining its paws he exclaimed with astonishment and affright, +'mulla' (a man). + +At the head of the birds the cassowary or emu, stands conspicuous. +The print of it which has already been given to the public is so accurate +for the most part, that it would be malignant criticism in a work +of this kind to point out a few trifling defects. + +Here again naturalists must look forward to that information which longer +and more intimate knowledge of the feathered tribe than I can supply, +shall appear. I have nevertheless had the good fortune to see what +was never seen but once, in the country I am describing, by Europeans--a +hatch, or flock, of young cassowaries with the old bird. I counted ten, +but others said there were twelve. We came suddenly upon them, +and they ran up a hill exactly like a flock of turkeys, but so fast +that we could not get a shot at them. The largest cassowary ever killed +in the settlement, weighed ninety-four pounds. Three young ones, +which had been by accident separated from the dam, were once taken +and presented to the governor. They were not larger than so many pullets, +although at first sight they appeared to be so from the length of their necks +and legs. They were very beautifully striped, and from their tender state +were judged to be not more than three or four days old. They lived +only a few days. + +A single egg, the production of a cassowary, was picked up in a desert place, +dropped on the sand, without covering or protection of any kind. +Its form was nearly a perfect ellipsis; and the colour of the shell +a dark green, full of little indents on its surface. It measured eleven inches +and a half in circumference, five inches and a quarter in height, +and weighed a pound and a quarter. Afterwards we had the good fortune +to take a nest. It was found by a soldier in a sequestered solitary situation, +made in a patch of lofty fern about three feet in diameter, +rather of an oblong shape and composed of dry leaves and tops of fern stalks, +very inartificially put together. The hollow in which lay the eggs, +twelve in number, seemed made solely by the pressure of the bird. +The eggs were regularly placed in the following position. + + + O + O O O + O O O O O + O O O + + +The soldier, instead of greedily plundering his prize, communicated +the discovery to an officer, who immediately set out for the spot. +When they had arrived there they continued for a long time to search in vain +for their object, and the soldier was just about to be stigmatized +with ignorance, credulity or imposture, when suddenly up started the old bird +and the treasure was found at their feet. + +The food of the cassowary is either grass, or a yellow bell-flower +growing in the swamps. It deserves remark, that the natives deny +the cassowary to be a bird, because it does not fly. + +Of other birds the varieties are very numerous. Of the parrot tribe alone +I could, while I am writing, count up from memory fourteen different sorts. +Hawks are very numerous, so are quails. A single snipe has been shot. +Ducks, geese and other aquatic birds are often seen in large flocks, +but are universally so shy, that it is found difficult to shoot them. +Some of the smaller birds are very beautiful, but they are not remarkable +for either sweetness, or variety of notes. To one of them, not bigger +than a tomtit, we have given the name of coach-whip, from its note +exactly resembling the smack of a whip. The country, I am of opinion, +would abound with birds did not the natives, by perpetually setting fire +to the grass and bushes, destroy the greater part of the nests; a cause +which also contributes to render small quadrupeds scarce. They are besides +ravenously fond of eggs and eat them wherever they find them. They call +the roe of a fish and a bird's egg by one name. + +So much has been said of the abundance in which fish are found in the harbours +of New South Wales that it looks like detraction to oppose a contradiction. +Some share of knowledge may, however, be supposed to belong to experience. +Many a night have I toiled (in the times of distress) on the public service, +from four o'clock in the afternoon until eight o'clock next morning, +hauling the seine in every part of the harbour of Port Jackson: and after +a circuit of many miles and between twenty and thirty hauls, seldom more +than a hundred pounds of fish were taken. However, it sometimes happens +that a glut enters the harbour, and for a few days they sufficiently abound. +But the universal voice of all professed fishermen is that they never fished +in a country where success was so precarious and uncertain. + +I shall not pretend to enumerate the variety of fish which are found. +They are seen from a whale to a gudgeon. In the intermediate classes +may be reckoned sharks of a monstrous size, skait, rock-cod, grey-mullet, +bream, horse-mackarel, now and then a sole and john dory, and innumerable +others unknown in Europe, many of which are extremely delicious, +and many highly beautiful. At the top of the list, as an article of food, +stands a fish, which we named light-horseman. The relish of this +excellent fish was increased by our natives, who pointed out to us +its delicacies. No epicure in England could pick a head with more glee +and dexterity than they do that of a light-horseman. + +Reptiles in the swamps and covers are numerous. Of snakes there are two +or three sorts: but whether the bite of any of them be mortal, +or even venomous, is somewhat doubtful. I know but of one well attested +instance of a bite being received from a snake. A soldier was bitten +so as to draw blood, and the wound healed as a simple incision usually does +without shewing any symptom of malignity. A dog was reported to be bitten +by a snake, and the animal swelled and died in great agony. But I will +by no means affirm that the cause of his death was fairly ascertained. +It is, however, certain that the natives show, on all occasions, +the utmost horror of the snake, and will not eat it, although they esteem +lizards, goannas, and many other reptiles delicious fare. On this occasion +they always observe that if the snake bites them, they become lame, +but whether by this they mean temporary or lasting lameness I do not pretend +to determine. I have often eaten snakes and always found them palatable +and nutritive, though it was difficult to stew them to a tender state. + +Summer here, as in all other countries, brings with it a long list of insects. +In the neighborhood of rivers and morasses, mosquitoes and sandflies +are never wanting at any season, but at Sydney they are seldom numerous +or troublesome. The most nauseous and destructive of all the insects +is a fly which blows not eggs but large living maggots, and if the body +of the fly be opened it is found full of them. Of ants there are +several sorts, one of which bites very severely. The white ant +is sometimes seen. Spiders are large and numerous. Their webs +are not only the strongest, but the finest, and most silky I ever felt. +I have often thought their labour might be turned to advantage. It has, +I believe, been proved that spiders, were it not for their quarrelsome +disposition which irritates them to attack and destroy each other, +might be employed more profitably than silk-worms. + +The hardiness of some of the insects deserves to be mentioned. A beetle +was immersed in proof spirits for four hours, and when taken out crawled away +almost immediately. It was a second time immersed, and continued in a glass +of rum for a day and a night, at the expiration of which period +it still showed symptoms of life. Perhaps, however, what I from ignorance +deem wonderful is common. + + +***** + + +The last but the most important production yet remains to be considered. +Whether plodding in London, reeking with human blood in Paris or wandering +amidst the solitary wilds of New South Wales--Man is ever an object +of interest, curiosity and reflection. + +The natives around Port Jackson are in person rather more diminutive +and slighter made, especially about the thighs and legs, than the Europeans. +It is doubtful whether their society contained a person of six feet high. +The tallest I ever measured, reached five feet eleven inches, and men +of his height were rarely seen. Baneelon, who towered above the majority +of his countrymen, stood barely five feet eight inches high. His other +principal dimensions were as follows: + + + Girth of the Chest. 2 feet 10 inches + Girth of the Belly. 2 feet 6 1/2 inches + Girth of the Thigh. 18 1/8 inches + Girth of the Leg at the Calf. 12 1/8 inches + Girth of the Leg at the Small. 10 inches + Girth of arm half way between + the shoulder and elbow. 9 inches + + +Instances of natural deformity are scarce, nor did we ever see one +of them left-handed. They are, indeed, nearly ambidexter; but the sword, +the spear and the fish-gig are always used with the right hand. +Their muscular force is not great; but the pliancy of their limbs +renders them very active. "Give to civilized man all his machines, +and he is superior to the savage; but without these, how inferior is he found +on opposition, even more so than the savage in the first instance." +These are the words of Rousseau, and like many more of his positions +must be received with limitation. Were an unarmed Englishman and an unarmed +New Hollander to engage, the latter, I think, would fall. + +Mr. Cook seems inclined to believe the covering of their heads to be wool. +But this is erroneous. It is certainly hair, which when regularly combed +becomes soon nearly as flexible and docile as our own. Their teeth +are not so white and good as those generally found in Indian nations, +except in the children, but the inferiority originates in themselves. +hey bite sticks, stones, shells and all other hard substances, indiscriminately +with them, which quickly destroys the enamel and gives them a jagged +and uneven appearance. A high forehead, with prominent overhanging eyebrows, +is their leading characteristic, and when it does not operate to destroy +all openness of countenance gives an air of resolute dignity to the aspect, +which recommends, in spite of a true negro nose, thick lips, and a wide mouth. +The prominent shin bone, so invariably found in the Africans, is not, +however, seen. But in another particular they are more alike. The rank +offensive smell which disgusts so much in the negro, prevails strongly +among them when they are in their native state, but it wears off in those +who have resided with us and have been taught habits of cleanliness. +Their hands and feet are small*, especially the former. + +[*I mentioned this, among other circumstances, to colonel Gordon when I was +at the Cape, and he told me that it indicated poverty and inadequacy of living. +He instanced to me the Hottentots and Caffres. The former fare poorly, +and have small hands and feet. The Caffres, their neighbours, +live plenteously and have very large ones. This remark cannot be applied +to civilized nations, where so many factitious causes operate.] + +Their eyes are full, black and piercing, but the almost perpetual strain +in which the optic nerve is kept, by looking out for prey, renders +their sight weak at an earlier age than we in general find ours affected. +These large black eyes are universally shaded by the long thick sweepy eyelash, +so much prized in appreciating beauty, that, perhaps hardly any face +is so homely which this aid cannot in some degree render interesting; +and hardly any so lovely which, without it, bears not some trace of insipidity. +Their tone of voice is loud, but not harsh. I have in some of them +found it very pleasing. + +Longevity, I think, is seldom attained by them. Unceasing agitation +wears out the animal frame and is unfriendly to length of days. We have seen +them grey with age, but not old; perhaps never beyond sixty years. +But it may be said, the American Indian, in his undebauched state, lives +to an advanced period. True, but he has his seasons of repose. He reaps +his little harvest of maize and continues in idleness while it lasts. +He kills the roebuck or the moose-deer, which maintains him and his family +for many days, during which cessation the muscles regain their spring +and fit him for fresh toils. Whereas every sun awakes the native +of New South Wales (unless a whale be thrown upon the coast) to a renewal +of labour, to provide subsistence for the present day. + +The women are proportionally smaller than the men. I never measured +but two of them, who were both, I think, about the medium height. +One of them, a sister of Baneelon, stood exactly five feet two inches high. +The other, named Gooreedeeana, was shorter by a quarter of an inch. + +But I cannot break from Gooreedeeana so abruptly. She belonged to the tribe +of Cameragal, and rarely came among us. One day, however, she entered +my house to complain of hunger. She excelled in beauty all their females +I ever saw. Her age about eighteen, the firmness, the symmetry +and the luxuriancy of her bosom might have tempted painting to copy its charms. +Her mouth was small and her teeth, though exposed to all the destructive +purposes to which they apply them, were white, sound and unbroken. +Her countenance, though marked by some of the characteristics +of her native land, was distinguished by a softness and sensibility +unequalled in the rest of her countrywomen, and I was willing to believe +that these traits indicated the disposition of her mind. I had never before +seen this elegant timid female, of whom I had often heard; but the interest +I took in her led me to question her about her husband and family. +She answered me by repeating a name which I have now forgotten, and told me +she had no children. I was seized with a strong propensity to learn +whether the attractions of Gooreedeeana were sufficiently powerful +to secure her from the brutal violence with which the women are treated, +and as I found my question either ill understood or reluctantly answered, +I proceeded to examine her head, the part on which the husband's vengeance +generally alights. With grief I found it covered by contusions +and mangled by scars. The poor creature, grown by this time more confident +from perceiving that I pitied her, pointed out a wound just above +her left knee which she told me was received from a spear, thrown at her +by a man who had lately dragged her by force from her home to gratify his lust. +I afterwards observed that this wound had caused a slight lameness +and that she limped in walking. I could only compassionate her wrongs +and sympathize in her misfortunes. To alleviate her present sense of them, +when she took her leave I gave her, however, all the bread and salt pork +which my little stock afforded. + +After this I never saw her but once, when I happened to be near +the harbour's mouth in a boat, with captain Ball. We met her in a canoe +with several more of her sex. She was painted for a ball, with broad stripes +of white earth, from head to foot, so that she no longer looked like +the same Gooreedeeana. We offered her several presents, all of which +she readily accepted; but finding our eagerness and solicitude to inspect her, +she managed her canoe with such address as to elude our too near approach, +and acted the coquet to admiration. + +To return from this digression to my subject, I have only farther to observe +that the estimation of female beauty among the natives (the men at least) +is in this country the same as in most others. Were a New Hollander +to portray his mistress, he would draw her the 'Venus aux belles fesses'. +Whenever Baneelon described to us his favourite fair, he always painted her +in this, and another particular, as eminently luxuriant. + +Unsatisfied, however, with natural beauty (like the people of all other +countries) they strive by adscititious embellishments to heighten attraction, +and often with as little success. Hence the naked savage of New South Wales +pierces the septum of his nose, through which he runs a stick or a bone, +and scarifies his body, the charms of which increase in proportion +to the number and magnitude of seams by which it is distinguished. +The operation is performed by making two longitudinal incisions +with a sharpened shell, and afterwards pinching up with the nails +the intermediate space of skin and flesh, which thereby becomes considerably +elevated and forms a prominence as thick as a man's finger. No doubt but pain +must be severely felt until the wound be healed. But the love of ornament +defies weaker considerations, and no English beau can bear more stoutly +the extraction of his teeth to make room for a fresh set from +a chimney sweeper, or a fair one suffer her tender ears to be perforated, +with more heroism than the grisly nymphs on the banks of Port Jackson, +submit their sable shoulders to the remorseless lancet. + +That these scarifications are intended solely to increase personal allurement +I will not, however, positively affirm. Similar, perhaps, to the cause +of an excision of part of the little finger of the left hand in the women, +and of a front tooth in the men;* or probably after all our conjectures, +superstitious ceremonies by which they hope either to avert evil +or to propagate good, are intended. The colours with which they besmear +the bodies of both sexes possibly date from the same common origin. +White paint is strictly appropriate to the dance. Red seems to be used +on numberless occasions, and is considered as a colour of less consequence. +It may be remarked that they translate the epithet white when they speak +of us, not by the name which they assign to this white earth, but by that +with which they distinguish the palms of their hands. + + +[*It is to be observed that neither of these ceremonies is universal, +but nearly so. Why there should exist exemptions I cannot resolve. +The manner of executing them is as follows. The finger is taken off +by means of a ligature (generally a sinew of a kangaroo) tied so tight +as to stop the circulation of the blood, which induces mortification +and the part drops off. I remember to have seen Colbee's child, when about +a month old, on whom this operation had been just performed by her mother. +The little wretch seemed in pain, and her hand was greatly swelled. +But this was deemed too trifling a consideration to deserve regard +in a case of so much importance. + +The tooth intended to be taken out is loosened by the gum being scarified +on both sides with a sharp shell. The end of a stick is then applied +to the tooth, which is struck gently several times with a stone, until it +becomes easily moveable, when the 'coup de grace' is given by a smart stroke. +Notwithstanding these precautions, I have seen a considerable degree +of swelling and inflammation follow the extraction. Imeerawanyee, I remember, +suffered severely. But he boasted the firmness and hardihood with which +he had endured it. It is seldom performed on those who are under sixteen +years old.] + + +As this leads to an important subject I shall at once discuss it. +"Have these people any religion: any knowledge of, or belief in a deity?-- +any conception of the immortality of the soul?" are questions which have been +often put to me since my arrival in England: I shall endeavour to answer them +with candour and seriousness. + +Until belief be enlightened by revelation and chastened by reason, +religion and superstition, are terms of equal import. One of our earliest +impressions is the consciousness of a superior power. The various forms +under which this impression has manifested itself are objects +of the most curious speculation. + +The native of New South Wales believes that particular aspects and appearances +of the heavenly bodies predict good or evil consequences to himself +and his friends. He oftentimes calls the sun and moon 'weeree,' that is, +malignant, pernicious. Should he see the leading fixed stars +(many of which he can call by name) obscured by vapours, he sometimes +disregards the omen, and sometimes draws from it the most dreary conclusions. +I remember Abaroo running into a room where a company was assembled, +and uttering frightful exclamations of impending mischiefs about to light +on her and her countrymen. When questioned on the cause of such agitation +she went to the door and pointed to the skies, saying that whenever +the stars wore that appearance, misfortunes to the natives always followed. +The night was cloudy and the air disturbed by meteors. I have heard +many more of them testify similar apprehensions. + +However involved in darkness and disfigured by error such a belief be, +no one will, I presume, deny that it conveys a direct implication +of superior agency; of a power independent of and uncontrolled by +those who are the objects of its vengeance. But proof stops not here. +When they hear the thunder roll and view the livid glare, they flee them not, +but rush out and deprecate destruction. They have a dance and a song +appropriated to this awful occasion, which consist of the wildest +and most uncouth noises and gestures. Would they act such a ceremony +did they not conceive that either the thunder itself, or he who directs +the thunder, might be propitiated by its performance? That a living +intellectual principle exists, capable of comprehending their petition +and of either granting or denying it? They never address prayers +to bodies which they know to be inanimate, either to implore their protection +or avert their wrath. When the gum-tree in a tempest nods over them; +or the rock overhanging the cavern in which they sleep threatens by its fall +to crush them, they calculate (as far as their knowledge extends) +on physical principles, like other men, the nearness and magnitude +of the danger, and flee it accordingly. And yet there is reason to believe +that from accidents of this nature they suffer more than from lightning. +Baneelon once showed us a cave, the top of which had fallen in and buried +under its ruins, seven people who were sleeping under it. + +To descend; is not even the ridiculous superstition of Colbee related +in one of our journies to the Hawkesbury? And again the following instance. +Abaroo was sick. To cure her, one of her own sex slightly cut her +on the forehead, in a perpendicular direction with an oyster shell, +so as just to fetch blood. She then put one end of a string to the wound +and, beginning to sing, held the other end to her own gums, which she rubbed +until they bled copiously. This blood she contended was the blood +of the patient, flowing through the string, and that she would thereby +soon recover. Abaroo became well, and firmly believed that she owed +her cure to the treatment she had received. Are not these, I say, links, +subordinate ones indeed, of the same golden chain? He who believes in magic +confesses supernatural agency, and a belief of this sort extends farther +in many persons than they are willing to allow. There have lived men +so inconsistent with their own principles as to deny the existence of a God, +who have nevertheless turned pale at the tricks of a mountebank. + +But not to multiply arguments on a subject where demonstration +(at least to me) is incontestable, I shall close by expressing my firm belief +that the Indians of New South Wales acknowledge the existence +of a superintending deity. Of their ideas of the origin and duration +of his existence; of his power and capacity; of his benignity or maleficence; +or of their own emanation from him, I pretend not to speak. I have often, +in common with others, tried to gain information from them on this head; +but we were always repulsed by obstacles which we could neither pass by +or surmount. Mr. Dawes attempted to teach Abaroo some of our notions +of religion, and hoped that she would thereby be induced to communicate hers +in return. But her levity and love of play in a great measure defeated +his efforts, although every thing he did learn from her served to confirm +what is here advanced. It may be remarked, that when they attended at church +with us (which was a common practice) they always preserved profound silence +and decency, as if conscious that some religious ceremony on our side +was performing. + +The question of, whether they believe in the immortality of the soul +will take up very little time to answer. They are universally fearful +of spirits.* They call a spirit 'mawn'. They often scruple to approach +a corpse, saying that the 'mawn' will seize them and that it fastens upon them +in the night when asleep.** When asked where their deceased friends are +they always point to the skies. To believe in after existence is to confess +the immortality of some part of being. To enquire whether they assign +a 'limited' period to such future state would be superfluous. This is one +of the subtleties of speculation which a savage may be supposed not to have +considered, without impeachment either of his sagacity or happiness. + +[* "It is remarkable," says Cicero, "that there is no nation, whether +barbarous or civilized, that does not believe in the existence of spirits".] + +[**As they often eat to satiety, even to produce sickness, may not this be +the effect of an overloaded stomach: the nightmare?] + + + +Their manner of interring the dead has been amply described. It is certain +that instead of burying they sometimes burn the corpse; but the cause +of distinction we know not. A dead body, covered by a canoe, at whose side +a sword and shield were placed in state, was once discovered. All that +we could learn about this important personage was that he was a 'Gweeagal' +(one of the tribe of Gweea) and a celebrated warrior. + +To appreciate their general powers of mind is difficult. Ignorance, +prejudice, the force of habit, continually interfere to prevent dispassionate +judgment. I have heard men so unreasonable as to exclaim at the stupidity +of these people for not comprehending what a small share of reflection +would have taught them they ought not to have expected. And others again +I have heard so sanguine in their admiration as to extol for proofs +of elevated genius what the commonest abilities were capable of executing. + +If they be considered as a nation whose general advancement and acquisitions +are to be weighed, they certainly rank very low, even in the scale of savages. +They may perhaps dispute the right of precedence with the Hottentots +or the shivering tribes who inhabit the shores of Magellan. But how inferior +do they show when compared with the subtle African; the patient watchful +American; or the elegant timid islander of the South Seas. Though suffering +from the vicissitudes of their climate, strangers to clothing, though feeling +the sharpness of hunger and knowing the precariousness of supply from that +element on whose stores they principally depend, ignorant of cultivating +the earth--a less enlightened state we shall exclaim can hardly exist. + +But if from general view we descend to particular inspection, and examine +individually the persons who compose this community, they will certainly rise +in estimation. In the narrative part of this work, I have endeavoured +rather to detail information than to deduce conclusions, leaving to the reader +the exercise of his own judgment. The behaviour of Arabanoo, of Baneelon, +of Colbee and many others is copiously described, and assuredly he who shall +make just allowance for uninstructed nature will hardly accuse +any of those persons of stupidity or deficiency of apprehension. + +To offer my own opinion on the subject, I do not hesitate to declare +that the natives of New South Wales possess a considerable portion +of that acumen, or sharpness of intellect, which bespeaks genius. +All savages hate toil and place happiness in inaction, and neither the arts +of civilized life can be practised or the advantages of it felt without +application and labour. Hence they resist knowledge and the adoption +of manners and customs differing from their own. The progress of reason +is not only slow, but mechanical. "De toutes les Instructions propres +a l'homme, celle qu'il acquiert le plus tard, et le plus difficilement, +est la raison meme." The tranquil indifference and uninquiring eye +with which they surveyed our works of art have often, in my hearing, +been stigmatized as proofs of stupidity, and want of reflection. But surely +we should discriminate between ignorance and defect of understanding. +The truth was, they often neither comprehended the design nor conceived +the utility of such works, but on subjects in any degree familiarised +to their ideas, they generally testified not only acuteness of discernment +but a large portion of good sense. I have always thought that the distinctions +they shewed in their estimate of us, on first entering into our society, +strongly displayed the latter quality: when they were led into our respective +houses, at once to be astonished and awed by our superiority, their attention +was directly turned to objects with which they were acquainted. +They passed without rapture or emotion our numerous artifices and contrivances, +but when they saw a collection of weapons of war or of the skins of animals +and birds, they never failed to exclaim, and to confer with each other +on the subject. The master of that house became the object of their regard, +as they concluded he must be either a renowned warrior, or an expert hunter. +Our surgeons grew into their esteem from a like cause. In a very early stage +of intercourse, several natives were present at the amputation of a leg. +When they first penetrated the intention of the operator, +they were confounded, not believing it possible that such an operation +could be performed without loss of life, and they called aloud to him +to desist; but when they saw the torrent of blood stopped, the vessels +taken up and the stump dressed, their horror and alarm yielded to astonishment +and admiration, which they expressed by the loudest tokens. If these +instances bespeak not nature and good sense, I have yet to learn +the meaning of the terms. + +If it be asked why the same intelligent spirit which led them to contemplate +and applaud the success of the sportsman and the skill of the surgeon, +did not equally excite them to meditate on the labours of the builder +and the ploughman, I can only answer that what we see in its remote cause +is always more feebly felt than that which presents to our immediate grasp +both its origin and effect. + +Their leading good and bad qualities I shall concisely touch upon. +Of their intrepidity no doubt can exist. Their levity, their fickleness, +their passionate extravagance of character, cannot be defended. +They are indeed sudden and quick in quarrel; but if their resentment +be easily roused, their thirst of revenge is not implacable. Their honesty, +when tempted by novelty, is not unimpeachable, but in their own society +there is good reason to believe that few breaches of it occur. +It were well if similar praise could be given to their veracity: but truth +they neither prize nor practice. When they wish to deceive they scruple not +to utter the grossest and most hardened lies.* Their attachment and gratitude +to those among us whom they have professed to love have always remained +inviolable, unless effaced by resentment, from sudden provocation: then, +like all other Indians, the impulse of the moment is alone regarded by them. + +[*This may serve to account for the contradictions of many of their +accounts to us.] + +Some of their manufactures display ingenuity, when the rude tools with which +they work, and their celerity of execution are considered. The canoes, +fish-gigs, swords, shields, spears, throwing sticks, clubs, and hatchets, +are made by the men. To the women are committed the fishing-lines, hooks +and nets. As very ample collections of all these articles are to be found +in many museums in England, I shall only briefly describe the way in which +the most remarkable of them are made. The fish-gigs and spears are commonly +(but not universally) made of the long spiral shoot which arises from the top +of the yellow gum-tree, and bears the flower. The former have several prongs, +barbed with the bone of kangaroo. The latter are sometimes barbed +with the same substance, or with the prickle of the sting-ray, or with stone +or hardened gum, and sometimes simply pointed. Dexterity in throwing +and parrying the spear is considered as the highest acquirement. The children +of both sexes practice from the time that they are able to throw a rush; +their first essay. It forms their constant recreation. They afterwards heave +at each other with pointed twigs. He who acts on the defensive holds a piece +of new soft bark in the left hand, to represent a shield, in which he receives +the darts of the assailant, the points sticking in it. Now commences +his turn. He extracts the twigs and darts them back at the first thrower, +who catches them similarly. In warding off the spear they never present +their front, but always turn their side, their head at the same time +just clear of the shield, to watch the flight of the weapon; +and the body covered. If a spear drop from them when thus engaged, +they do not stoop to pick it up, but hook it between the toes and so lift it +until it meet the hand. Thus the eye is never diverted from its object, +the foe. If they wish to break a spear or any wooden substance, they lay it +not across the thigh or the body, but upon the head, and press down the ends +until it snap. Their shields are of two sorts. That called 'illemon' +is nothing but a piece of bark with a handle fixed in the inside of it. +The other, dug out of solid wood, is called 'aragoon', and is made as follows, +with great labour. On the bark of a tree they mark the size of the shield, +then dig the outline as deep as possible in the wood with hatchets, +and lastly flake it off as thick as they can, by driving in wedges. +The sword is a large heavy piece of wood, shaped like a sabre, and capable +of inflicting a mortal wound. In using it they do not strike with the convex +side, but with the concave one, and strive to hook in their antagonists +so as to have them under their blows. The fishing-lines are made of the bark +of a shrub. The women roll shreds of this on the inside of the thigh, +so as to twist it together, carefully inserting the ends of every fresh piece +into the last made. They are not as strong as lines of equal size +formed of hemp. The fish-hooks are chopped with a stone out of a particular +shell, and afterwards rubbed until they become smooth. They are +very much curved, and not barbed. Considering the quickness with which +they are finished, the excellence of the work, if it be inspected, +is admirable. In all these manufactures the sole of the foot is used +both by men and women as a work-board. They chop a piece of wood, +or aught else upon it, even with an iron tool, without hurting themselves. +It is indeed nearly as hard as the hoof of an ox. + +Their method of procuring fire is this. They take a reed and shave one side +of the surface flat. In this they make a small incision to reach the pith, +and introducing a stick, purposely blunted at the end, into it, turn it round +between the hands (as chocolate is milled) as swiftly as possible, +until flame be produced. As this operation is not only laborious, +but the effect tedious, they frequently relieve each other at the exercise. +And to avoid being often reduced to the necessity of putting it in practice, +they always, if possible, carry a lighted stick with them, whether +in their canoes or moving from place to place on land. + +Their treatment of wounds must not be omitted. A doctor is, with them, +a person of importance and esteem, but his province seems rather to charm away +occult diseases than to act the surgeon's part, which, as a subordinate +science, is exercised indiscriminately. Their excellent habit of body*, +the effect of drinking water only, speedily heals wounds without an exterior +application which with us would take weeks or months to close. +They are, nevertheless, sadly tormented by a cutaneous eruption, +but we never found it contagious. After receiving a contusion, +if the part swell they fasten a ligature very tightly above it, so as to stop +all circulation. Whether to this application, or to their undebauched habit, +it be attributable, I know not, but it is certain that a disabled limb +among them is rarely seen, although violent inflammations from bruises, +which in us would bring on a gangrene, daily happen. If they get burned, +either from rolling into the fire when asleep, or from the flame catching +the grass on which they lie (both of which are common accidents) +they cover the part with a thin paste of kneaded clay, which excludes the air +and adheres to the wound until it be cured, and the eschar falls off. + +[*Their native hardiness of constitution is great. I saw a woman on the day +she was brought to bed, carry her new-born infant from Botany Bay +to Port Jackson, a distance of six miles, and afterwards light a fire +and dress fish.] + +Their form of government, and the detail of domestic life, yet remain untold. +The former cannot occupy much space. Without distinctions of rank, +except those which youth and vigour confer, theirs is strictly a system +of 'equality' attended with only one inconvenience--the strong triumph +over the weak. Whether any laws exist among them for the punishment +of offences committed against society; or whether the injured party +in all cases seeks for relief in private revenge, I will not positively affirm; +though I am strongly inclined to believe that only the latter method prevails. +I have already said that they are divided into tribes; but what constitutes +the right of being enrolled in a tribe, or where exclusion begins and ends, +I am ignorant. The tribe of Cameragal is of all the most numerous +and powerful. Their superiority probably arose from possessing +the best fishing ground, and perhaps from their having suffered less +from the ravages of the smallpox. + +In the domestic detail there may be novelty, but variety is unattainable. +One day must be very like another in the life of a savage. Summoned by +the calls of hunger and the returning light, he starts from his beloved +indolence, and snatching up the remaining brand of his fire, hastens +with his wife to the strand to commence their daily task. In general +the canoe is assigned to her, into which she puts the fire and pushes off +into deep water, to fish with hook and line, this being the province +of the women. If she have a child at the breast, she takes it with her. +And thus in her skiff, a piece of bark tied at both ends with vines, +and the edge of it but just above the surface of the water, she pushes out +regardless of the elements, if they be but commonly agitated. +While she paddles to the fishing-bank, and while employed there, the child +is placed on her shoulders, entwining its little legs around her neck +and closely grasping her hair with its hands. To its first cries +she remains insensible, as she believes them to arise only from +the inconvenience of a situation, to which she knows it must be inured. +But if its plaints continue, and she supposes it to be in want of food, +she ceases her fishing and clasps it to her breast. An European spectator +is struck with horror and astonishment at their perilous situation, +but accidents seldom happen. The management of the canoe alone appears +a work of unsurmountable difficulty, its breadth is so inadequate +to its length. The Indians, aware of its ticklish formation, practise +from infancy to move in it without risk. Use only could reconcile them +to the painful position in which they sit in it. They drop in the middle +of the canoe upon their knees, and resting the buttocks on the heels, +extend the knees to the sides, against which they press strongly, +so as to form a poise sufficient to retain the body in its situation, +and relieve the weight which would otherwise fall wholly upon the toes. +Either in this position or cautiously moving in the centre of the vessel, +the mother tends her child, keeps up her fire (which is laid on a small patch +of earth), paddles her boat, broils fish and provides in part the subsistence +of the day. Their favourite bait for fish is a cockle. + +The husband in the mean time warily moves to some rock, over which he can peep +into unruffled water to look for fish. For this purpose he always chooses +a weather shore, and the various windings of the numerous creeks and indents +always afford one. Silent and watchful, he chews a cockle and spits it +into the water. Allured by the bait, the fish appear from beneath the rock. +He prepares his fish-gig, and pointing it downward, moves it gently +towards the object, always trying to approach it as near as possible +to the fish before the stroke be given. At last he deems himself +sufficiently advanced and plunges it at his prey. If he has hit his mark, +he continues his efforts and endeavours to transpierce it or so to entangle +the barbs in the flesh as to prevent its escape. When he finds it secure +he drops the instrument, and the fish, fastened on the prongs, +rises to the surface, floated by the buoyancy of the staff. Nothing now +remains to be done but to haul it to him, with either a long stick +or another fish-gig (for an Indian, if he can help it, never goes into the +water on these occasions) to disengage it, and to look out for fresh sport. + +But sometimes the fish have either deserted the rocks for deeper water, +or are too shy to suffer approach. He then launches his canoe, and leaving +the shore behind, watches the rise of prey out of the water, and darts +his gig at them to the distance of many yards. Large fish he seldom procures +by this method; but among shoals of mullets, which are either pursued +by enemies, or leap at objects on the surface, he is often successful. +Baneelon has been seen to kill more than twenty fish by this method +in an afternoon. The women sometimes use the gig, and always carry one +in each canoe to strike large fish which may be hooked and thereby facilitate +the capture. But generally speaking, this instrument is appropriate +to the men, who are never seen fishing with the line, and would indeed +consider it as a degradation of their pre-eminence. + +When prevented by tempestuous weather or any other cause, from fishing, +these people suffer severely. They have then no resource but to pick up +shellfish, which may happen to cling to the rocks, and be cast on the beach, +to hunt particular reptiles and small animals, which are scarce, to dig +fern root in the swamps or to gather a few berries, destitute of flavour +and nutrition, which the woods afford. To alleviate the sensation of hunger, +they tie a ligature tightly around the belly, as I have often seen +our soldiers do from the same cause. + +Let us, however, suppose them successful in procuring fish. The wife returns +to land with her booty, and the husband quitting the rock joins his stock +to hers; and they repair either to some neighbouring cavern or to their hut. +This last is composed of pieces of bark, very rudely piled together, +in shape as like a soldier's tent as any known image to which I can compare it: +too low to admit the lord of it to stand upright, but long and wide enough +to admit three or four persons to lie under it. "Here shelters himself +a being, born with all those powers which education expands, and all those +sensations which culture refines." With a lighted stick brought from +the canoe they now kindle a small fire at the mouth of the hut and prepare +to dress their meal. They begin by throwing the fish exactly in the state +in which it came from the water, on the fire. When it has become +a little warmed they take it off, rub away the scales, and then peal off +with their teeth the surface, which they find done and eat. Now, +and not before, they gut it; but if the fish be a mullet or any other +which has a fatty substance about the intestines, they carefully guard +that part and esteem it a delicacy. The cooking is now completed +by the remaining part being laid on the fire until it be sufficiently done. +A bird, a lizard, a rat, or any other animal, they treat in the same manner. +The feathers of the one and the fur of the other, they thus get rid of.* + +[*They broil indiscriminately all substances which they eat. Though they boil +water in small quantities in oyster shells for particular purposes, +they never conceived it possible until shown by us, to dress meat +by this method, having no vessel capable of containing a fish or a bird +which would stand fire. Two of them once stole twelve pounds of rice +and carried it off. They knew how we cooked it, and by way of putting it +in practice they spread the rice on the ground before a fire, +and as it grew hot continued to throw water on it. Their ingenuity was +however very ill rewarded, for the rice became so mingled with the dirt +and sand on which it was laid, that even they could not eat it, +and the whole was spoiled.] + +Unless summoned away by irresistable necessity, sleep always follows the +repast. They would gladly prolong it until the following day; but the +canoe wants repair, the fish-gig must be barbed afresh, new lines must be +twisted, and new hooks chopped out. They depart to their respective +tasks, which end only with the light. + +Such is the general life of an Indian. But even he has his hours of +relaxation, in seasons of success, when fish abounds. Wanton with plenty, +he now meditates an attack upon the chastity of some neighbouring fair +one; and watching his opportunity he seizes her and drags her away +to complete his purpose. The signal of war is lighted; her lover, +her father, her brothers, her tribe, assemble, and vow revenge on the +spoiler. He tells his story to his tribe. They judge the case to be +a common one and agree to support him. Battle ensues; they discharge +their spears at each other, and legs and arms are transpierced. +When the spears are expended the combatants close and every species +of violence is practiced. They seize their antagonist and snap like +enraged dogs, they wield the sword and club, the bone shatters beneath +their fall and they drop the prey of unsparing vengeance. + +Too justly, as my observations teach me has Hobbes defined a state of +nature to be a state of war. In the method of waging it among these +people, one thing should not, however, escape notice. Unlike all other +Indians, they never carry on operations in the night, or seek to destroy +by ambush and surprise. Their ardent fearless character, seeks fair +and open combat only. + +But enmity has its moments of pause. Then they assemble to sing and dance. +We always found their songs disagreeable from their monotony. They are +numerous, and vary both in measure and time. They have songs of war, +of hunting, of fishing, for the rise and set of the sun, for rain, +for thunder and for many other occasions. One of these songs, which may +be termed a speaking pantomime, recites the courtship between the sexes +and is accompanied with acting highly expressive. I once heard and saw +Nanbaree and Abaroo perform it. After a few preparatory motions she +gently sunk on the ground, as if in a fainting fit. Nanbaree applying his +mouth to her ear, began to whisper in it, and baring her bosom, breathed +on it several times. At length, the period of the swoon having expired, +with returning animation she gradually raised herself. She now began +to relate what she had seen in her vision, mentioning several of her +countrymen by name, whom we knew to be dead; mixed with other strange +incoherent matter, equally new and inexplicable, though all tending to one +leading point--the sacrifice of her charms to her lover. + +At their dances I have often been present; but I confess myself unable +to convey in description an accurate account of them. Like their songs, +they are conceived to represent the progress of the passions and the +occupations of life. Full of seeming confusion, yet regular and systematic, +their wild gesticulations, and frantic distortions of body are calculated +rather to terrify, than delight, a spectator. These dances consist of +short parts, or acts, accompanied with frequent vociferations, and a kind +of hissing, or whizzing noise. They commonly end with a loud rapid shout, +and after a short respite are renewed. While the dance lasts, one of them +(usually a person of note and estimation) beats time with a stick on a +wooden instrument held in the left hand, accompanying the music with his +voice; and the dancers sometimes sing in concert. + +I have already mentioned that white is the colour appropriated to the +dance, but the style of painting is left to every one's fancy. Some are +streaked with waving lines from head to foot; others marked by broad +cross-bars, on the breast, back, and thighs, or encircled with spiral +lines, or regularly striped like a zebra. Of these ornaments, the face +never wants its share, and it is hard to conceive any thing in the shape +of humanity more hideous and terrific than they appear to a stranger--seen, +perhaps, through the livid gleam of a fire, the eyes surrounded by large +white circles, in contrast with the black ground, the hair stuck full +of pieces of bone and in the hand a grasped club, which they occasionally +brandish with the greatest fierceness and agility. Some dances are +performed by men only, some by women only, and in others the sexes mingle. +In one of them I have seen the men drop on their hands and knees and kiss +the earth with the greatest fervor, between the kisses looking up to +Heaven. They also frequently throw up their arms, exactly in the manner +in which the dancers of the Friendly Islands are depicted in one of the +plates of Mr. Cook's last voyage. + +Courtship here, as in other countries, is generally promoted by this +exercise, where every one tries to recommend himself to attention and +applause. Dancing not only proves an incentive, but offers an opportunity +in its intervals. The first advances are made by the men, who strive +to render themselves agreeable to their favourites by presents of +fishing-tackle and other articles which they know will prove acceptable. +Generally speaking, a man has but one wife, but infidelity on the side +of the husband, with the unmarried girls, is very frequent. For the most +part, perhaps, they intermarry in their respective tribes. This rule is +not, however, constantly observed, and there is reason to think that a +more than ordinary share of courtship and presents, on the part of the +man, is required in this case. Such difficulty seldom operates to +extinguish desire, and nothing is more common than for the unsuccessful +suitor to ravish by force that which he cannot accomplish by entreaty. +I do not believe that very near connections by blood ever cohabit. +We knew of no instance of it. + +But indeed the women are in all respects treated with savage barbarity +Condemned not only to carry the children but all other burthens, they meet +in return for submission only with blows, kicks and every other mark +of brutality. When an Indian is provoked by a woman, he either spears her +or knocks her down on the spot. On this occasion he always strikes +on the head, using indiscriminately a hatchet, a club or any other weapon +which may chance to be in his hand. The heads of the women are always +consequently seen in the state which I found that of Gooreedeeana. +Colbee, who was certainly, in other respects a good tempered merry fellow, +made no scruple of treating Daringa, who was a gentle creature, thus. +Baneelon did the same to Barangaroo, but she was a scold and a vixen, +and nobody pitied her. It must nevertheless be confessed that the women +often artfully study to irritate and inflame the passions of the men, +although sensible that the consequence will alight on themselves. + +Many a matrimonial scene of this sort have I witnessed. Lady Mary Wortley +Montague, in her sprightly letters from Turkey, longs for some of the +advocates for passive obedience and unconditional submission then existing +in England to be present at the sights exhibited in a despotic government. +A thousand times, in like manner, have I wished that those European +philosophers whose closet speculations exalt a state of nature above +a state of civilization, could survey the phantom which their heated +imaginations have raised. Possibly they might then learn that a state +of nature is, of all others, least adapted to promote the happiness of +a being capable of sublime research and unending ratiocination. That a +savage roaming for prey amidst his native deserts is a creature deformed +by all those passions which afflict and degrade our nature, unsoftened by +the influence of religion, philosophy and legal restriction: and that the +more men unite their talents, the more closely the bands of society are +drawn and civilization advanced, inasmuch is human felicity augmented, +and man fitted for his unalienable station in the universe. + +Of the language of New South Wales I once hoped to have subjoined to this +work such an exposition as should have attracted public notice, and have +excited public esteem. But the abrupt departure of Mr. Dawes, who, +stimulated equally by curiosity and philanthropy, had hardly set foot +on his native country when he again quitted it to encounter new perils +in the service of the Sierra Leona company, precludes me from executing +this part of my original intention, in which he had promised to co-operate +with me; and in which he had advanced his researches beyond the reach +of competition. The few remarks which I can offer shall be concisely +detailed. + +We were at first inclined to stigmatised this language as harsh and +barbarous in its sounds. Their combinations of words in the manner they +utter them, frequently convey such an effect. But if not only their +proper names of men and places, but many of their phrases and a majority +of their words, be simply and unconnectedly considered, they will be found +to abound with vowels and to produce sounds sometimes mellifluous and +sometimes sonorous. What ear can object to the names of Colbee, +(pronounced exactly as Colby is with us) Bereewan, Bondel, Imeerawanyee, +Deedora, Wolarawaree, or Baneelon, among the men; or to Wereeweea, +Gooreedeeana, Milba*, or Matilba, among the women. Parramatta, Gweea, +Cameera, Cadi, and Memel, are names of places. The tribes derive their +appellations from the places they inhabit. Thus Cemeeragal, means the men +who reside in the bay of Cameera; Cedigal, those who reside in the bay +of Cadi; and so of the others. The women of the tribe are denoted by +adding 'eean' to any of the foregoing words. A Cadigaleean imports a woman +living at Cadi, or of the tribe of Cadigal. These words, as the reader +will observe, are accented either on the first syllable or the penultima. +In general, however, they are partial to the emphasis being laid as near +the beginning of the word as possible. + +[*Mrs. Johnson, wife of the chaplain of the settlement, was so pleased +with this name that she christened her little girl, born in Port Jackson, +Milba Maria Johnson.] + +Of compound words they seem fond. Two very striking ones appear in the +journal to the Hawkesbury. Their translations of our words into their +language are always apposite, comprehensive, and drawn from images +familiar to them. A gun, for instance, they call 'gooroobeera', that is, +a stick of fire. Sometimes also, by a licence of language, they call +those who carry guns by the same name. But the appellation by which they +generally distinguished us was that of 'bereewolgal', meaning men come from +afar. When they salute any one they call him 'dameeli', or namesake, a term +which not only implies courtesy and good-will, but a certain degree of +affection in the speaker. An interchange of names with any one is also +a symbol of friendship. Each person has several names; one of which, +there is reason to believe, is always derived from the first fish +or animal which the child, in accompanying its father to the chase or a +fishing, may chance to kill. + +Not only their combinations, but some of their simple sounds, were +difficult of pronunciation to mouths purely English. Diphthongs often +occur. One of the most common is that of 'ae', or perhaps, 'ai', +pronounced not unlike those letters in the French verb 'hair', to hate. +The letter 'y' frequently follows 'd' in the same syllable. Thus the word +which signifies a woman is 'dyin'; although the structure of our language +requires us to spell it 'deein'. + +But if they sometimes put us to difficulty, many of our words were to them +unutterable. The letters 's' and 'v' they never could pronounce. The +latter became invariably 'w', and the former mocked all their efforts, +which in the instance of Baneelon has been noticed; and a more unfortunate +defect in learning our language could not easily be pointed out. + +They use the ellipsis in speaking very freely; always omitting as many +words as they possibly can, consistent with being understood. They +inflect both their nouns and verbs regularly; and denote the cases of the +former and the tenses of the latter, not like the English by auxiliary +words, but like the Latins by change of termination. Their nouns, whether +substantive or adjective, seem to admit of no plural. I have heard +Mr. Dawes hint his belief of their using a dual number, similar to the +Greeks, but I confess that I never could remark aught to confirm it. +The method by which they answer a question that they cannot resolve is +similar to what we sometimes use. Let for example the following question +be put: 'Waw Colbee yagoono?'--Where is Colbee to-day? 'Waw, baw!'--Where, +indeed! would be the reply. They use a direct and positive negative, +but express the affirmative by a nod of the head or an inclination +of the body. + +Opinions have greatly differed, whether or not their language be copious. +In one particular it is notoriously defective. They cannot count with +precision more than four. However as far as ten, by holding up the +fingers, they can both comprehend others and explain themselves. Beyond +four every number is called great; and should it happen to be very large, +great great, which is an Italian idiom also. This occasions their +computations of time and space to be very confused and incorrect. Of the +former they have no measure but the visible diurnal motion of the sun +or the monthly revolution of the moon. + +To conclude the history of a people for whom I cannot but feel some share +of affection. Let those who have been born in more favoured lands and who +have profited by more enlightened systems, compassionate, but not despise +their destitute and obscure situation. Children of the same omniscient +paternal care, let them recollect that by the fortuitous advantage +of birth alone they possess superiority: that untaught, unaccommodated +man is the same in Pall Mall as in the wilderness of New South Wales. +And ultimately let them hope and trust that the progress of reason and the +splendor of revelation will in their proper and allotted season +be permitted to illumine and transfuse into these desert regions, +knowledge, virtue and happiness. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + + +Observations on the Convicts. + + +A short account of that class of men for whose disposal and advantage +the colony was principally, if not totally, founded, seems necessary. + +If it be recollected how large a body of these people are now congregated +in the settlement of Port Jackson and at Norfolk Island, it will, I think, +not only excite surprise but afford satisfaction, to learn, that in a +period of four years few crimes of a deep dye or of a hardened nature +have been perpetrated. Murder and unnatural sins rank not hitherto in the +catalogue of their enormities, and one suicide only has been committed. + +To the honour of the female part of our community let it be recorded +that only one woman has suffered capital punishment. On her condemnation +she pleaded pregnancy, and a jury of venerable matrons was impanneled +on the spot, to examine and pronounce her state, which the forewoman, +a grave personage between sixty and seventy years old, did, by this short +address to the court; 'Gentlemen! she is as much with child as I am.' +Sentence was accordingly passed, and she was executed. + +Besides the instance of Irving, two other male convicts, William +Bloodsworth, of Kingston upon Thames, and John Arscott, of Truro, +in Cornwall, were both emancipated for their good conduct, in the years +1790 and 1791. Several men whose terms of transportation had expired, +and against whom no legal impediment existed to prevent their departure, +have been permitted to enter in merchant ships wanting hands: and +as my Rose Hill journals testify, many others have had grants of land +assigned to them, and are become settlers in the country. + +In so numerous a community many persons of perverted genius and of +mechanical ingenuity could not but be assembled. Let me produce the +following example. Frazer was an iron manufacturer, bred at Sheffield, +of whose abilities as a workman we had witnessed many proofs. The +governor had written to England for a set of locks to be sent out for the +security of the public stores, which were to be so constructed as to be +incapable of being picked. On their arrival his excellency sent for +Frazer and bade him examine them telling him at the same time that they +could not be picked. Frazer laughed and asked for a crooked nail only, +to open them all. A nail was brought, and in an instant he verified his +assertion. Astonished at his dexterity, a gentleman present determined +to put it to farther proof. He was sent for in a hurry, some days after, +to the hospital, where a lock of still superior intricacy and expense to +the others had been provided. He was told that the key was lost and that +the lock must be immediately picked. He examined it attentively, remarked +that it was the production of a workman, and demanded ten minutes to make +an instrument 'to speak with it.' Without carrying the lock with him, +he went directly to his shop, and at the expiration of his term returned, +applied his instrument, and open flew the lock. But it was not only in +this part of his business that he excelled: he executed every branch +of it in superior style. Had not his villainy been still more notorious +than his skill, he would have proved an invaluable possession to a new +country. He had passed through innumerable scenes in life, and had played +many parts. When too lazy to work at his trade he had turned thief in +fifty different shapes, was a receiver of stolen goods, a soldier and a +travelling conjurer. He once confessed to me that he had made a set of +tools, for a gang of coiners, every man of whom was hanged. + +Were the nature of the subject worthy of farther illustration, many +similar proofs of misapplied talents might be adduced. + +Their love of the marvellous has been recorded in an early part of this +work. The imposture of the gold finder, however prominent and glaring, +nevertheless contributed to awaken attention and to create merriment. +He enjoyed the reputation of a discoverer, until experiment detected the +imposition. But others were less successful to acquire even momentary +admiration. The execution of forgery seems to demand at least neatness +of imitation and dexterity of address. On arrival of the first fleet +of ships from England, several convicts brought out recommendatory letters +from different friends. Of these some were genuine, and many owed their +birth to the ingenuity of the bearers. But these last were all such +bungling performances as to produce only instant detection and succeeding +contempt. One of them addressed to the governor, with the name of +Baron Hotham affixed to it, began 'Honored Sir!' + +A leading distinction, which marked the convicts on their outset in the +colony, was an use of what is called the 'flash', or 'kiddy' language. +In some of our early courts of justice an interpreter was frequently +necessary to translate the deposition of the witness and the defence of +the prisoner. This language has many dialects. The sly dexterity of the +pickpocket, the brutal ferocity of the footpad, the more elevated career +of the highwayman and the deadly purpose of the midnight ruffian is each +strictly appropriate in the terms which distinguish and characterize it. +I have ever been of opinion that an abolition of this unnatural jargon +would open the path to reformation. And my observations on these people +have constantly instructed me that indulgence in this infatuating cant +is more deeply associated with depravity and continuance in vice than is +generally supposed. I recollect hardly one instance of a return to honest +pursuits, and habits of industry, where this miserable perversion of our +noblest and peculiar faculty was not previously conquered. + +Those persons to whom the inspection and management of our numerous +and extensive prisons in England are committed will perform a service +to society by attending to the foregoing observation. Let us always keep +in view, that punishment, when not directed to promote reformation, +is arbitrary, and unauthorised. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + + +Facts relating to the probability of establishing a whale fishery +on the coast of New South Wales, with Thoughts on the same. + + +In every former part of this publication I have studiously avoided +mentioning a whale fishery, as the information relating to it will, +I conceive, be more acceptably received in this form, by those to whom it +is addressed, than if mingled with other matter. + +Previous to entering on this detail, it must be observed that several of +the last fleet of ships which had arrived from England with convicts, +were fitted out with implements for whale fishing, and were intended to +sail for the coast of Brazil to pursue the fishery, immediately on having +landed the convicts. + +On the 14th of October, 1791, the 'Britannia', Captain Melville, one of +these ships, arrived at Sydney. In her passage between Van Diemen's Land +and Port Jackson, the master reported that he had seen a large shoal +of spermaceti whales. His words were, 'I saw more whales at one time +around my ship than in the whole of six years which I have fished on the +coast of Brazil.' + +This intelligence was no sooner communicated than all the whalers were +eager to push to sea. Melville himself was among the most early; and on +the 10th of November, returned to Port Jackson, more confident of success +than before. He assured me that in the fourteen days which he had been +out, he had seen more spermaced whales than in all his former life. +They amounted, he said to many thousands, most of them of enormous +magnitude; and had he not met with bad weather he could have killed +as many as he pleased. Seven he did kill, but owing to the stormy +agitated state of the water, he could not get any of them aboard. In one +however, which in a momentary interval of calm, was killed and secured +by a ship in company, he shared. The oil and head matter of this fish, +he extolled as of an extraordinary fine quality. He was of opinion the +former would fetch ten pounds per ton more in London than that procured +on the Brazil coast. He had not gone farther south than 37 degrees; +and described the latitude of 35 degrees to be the place where the whales +most abounded, just on the edge of soundings, which here extends about +fifteen leagues from the shore; though perhaps, on other parts of the +coast the bank will be found to run hardly so far off. + +On the following day (November 11th) the 'Mary Anne', Captain Munro, +another of the whalers, returned into port, after having been out sixteen +days. She had gone as far south as 41 degrees but saw not a whale, +and had met with tremendously bad weather, in which she had shipped a sea +that had set her boiling coppers afloat and had nearly carried them +overboard. + +November 22d. The 'William and Anne', Captain Buncker, returned after +having been more than three weeks out, and putting into Broken Bay. +This is the ship that had killed the fish in which Melville shared. +Buncker had met with no farther success, owing, he said, entirely, to +gales of wind; for he had seen several immense shoals and was of opinion +that he should have secured fifty tons of oil, had the weather been +tolerably moderate. I asked him whether he thought the whales he had seen +were fish of passage. "No" he answered, "they were going on every point +of the compass, and were evidently on feeding ground, which I saw no +reason to doubt that they frequent." Melville afterwards confirmed to me +this observation. December 3rd, the 'Mary Anne' and 'Matilda' again +returned. The former had gone to the southward, and off Port Jervis +had fallen in with two shoals of whales, nine of which were killed, but +owing to bad weather, part of five only were got on board. As much, +the master computed, as would yield thirty barrels of oil. He said the +whales were the least shy of any he had ever seen, "not having been +cut up". The latter had gone to the northward, and had seen no whales +but a few fin-backs. + +On the 5th of December, both these ships sailed again; and on the 16th +and 17th of the month (just before the author sailed for England) they +and the 'Britannia' and 'William and Anne' returned to Port Jackson +without success having experienced a continuation of the bad weather +and seen very few fish. They all said that their intention was to give +the coast one more trial, and if it miscarried to quit it and steer +to the northward in search of less tempestuous seas. + +The only remark which I have to offer to adventurers on the above subject, +is not to suffer discouragement by concluding that bad weather only is +to be found on the coast of New South Wales, where the whales have +hitherto been seen. Tempests happen sometimes there, as in other seas, +but let them feel assured that there are in every month of the year +many days in which the whale fishery may be safely carried on. +The evidence of the abundance in which spermaceti whales are sometimes +seen is incontrovertible: that which speaks to their being 'not fish +of passage' is at least respectable and hitherto uncontradicted. +The prospect merits attention--may it stimulate to enterprise. + +The two discoveries of Port Jervis and Matilda Bay (which are to be found +in the foregoing sheets) may yet be wanting in the maps of the coast. +My account of their geographic situation, except possibly in the exact +longitude of the latter (a point not very material) may be safely depended +upon. A knowledge of Oyster Bay, discovered and laid down by the 'Mercury' +store-ship, in the year 1789, would also be desirable. But this I am +incapable of furnishing. + +Here terminates my subject. Content with the humble province of detailing +facts and connecting events by undisturbed narration, I leave to others +the task of anticipating glorious, or gloomy, consequences, from the +establishment of a colony, which unquestionably demands serious +investigation, ere either its prosecution or abandonment be determined. + +But doubtless not only those who planned, but those who have been +delegated to execute, an enterprise of such magnitude, have deeply +revolved, that "great national expense does not imply the necessity +of national suffering. While revenue is employed with success to some +valuable end, the profits of every adventure being more than sufficient +to repay its costs, the public should gain, and its resources should +continue to multiply. But an expense whether sustained at home or abroad; +whether a waste of the present, or an anticipation of the future, revenue, +if it bring no adequate return, is to be reckoned among the causes +of national ruin."* + +[*Ferguson's Essay on the History of Civil Society.] + + + +A list of the Civil and Military Establishments in New South Wales + +Governor and Commander in Chief, His Excellency Arthur Phillip, Esq. + +Lieutenant Governor, Robert Ross, Esq. + +Judge of the Admiralty Court, Robert Ross, Esq. + +Chaplain of the Settlement, the Rev. Richard Johnson. + +Judge Advocate of the Settlement, David Collins, Esq. + +Secretary to the Governor, David Collins, Esq. + +Surveyor General, Augustus Alt, Esq. + +Commissary of Stores and Provisions, Andrew Miller, Esq. + +Assistant Commissary, Mr. Zechariah Clarke. + +Provost Martial, who acts as Sheriff of Cumberland County, Mr. Henry Brewer. + +Peace Officer, Mr. James Smith. + + +MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT. + +His Majesty's Ship 'Sirius', John Hunter, Esq. Commander. +Lieutenants, Bradley, King, Maxwell. + +His Majesty's armed Brig, 'Supply', Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball, Commander. + + +FOUR COMPANIES OF MARINES + + Major Robert Ross, Commandant. + + +CAPTAINS COMMANDING COMPANIES + +James Campbell, John Shea, Captain Lieutenants, James Meredith, Watkin Tench. + + +FIRST LIEUTENANTS + +George Johnson, John Johnson, John Creswell, James Maltland Shairp, +Robert Nellow, Thomas Davey, James Furzer, Thomas Timins, John Poulden. + + +SECOND LIEUTENANTS + +Ralph Clarke, John Long, William Dawes, William Feddy. + +Adjutant, John Long. + +Quarter Master, James Furzer. + +Aide de Camp to the Governor, George Johnson. + +Officer of Engineers and Artillery, William Dawes. + + +HOSPITAL ESTABLISHMENT. + +Surgeon General of the Settlement, John White, Esq. + +First Assistant, Mr. Dennis Considen. + +Second Assistant, Mr. Thomas Arndell. + +Third Assistant, Mr. William Balmain. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Settlement at Port Jackson, by Watkin Tench + |