a complete account of the settlement-第16章

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〃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