raffles' bay settlement. 141 



the sentries to fire upon the natives whenever they 

 approached^ and on one occasion they were g-reeted 

 with a discharg-e of g-rape-shot. At leng-th one of 

 the soldiers ^vas speared^ and in reprisal a part}^ 

 was sent out^ which^ coming- unexpectedly upon a 

 camp of natives^ killed and wounded several^ in- 

 cluding* a woman and two children. When the 

 Bug'is paid their annual visit to the coast several 

 prahus remained to fish for trepang- under the pro- 

 tection of the settlement. Of the healthiness of the 

 place the medical officer states^ ''' There is no 

 endemic disease here. The climate of the place 

 surpasses every other as far as I know^ Avhich is 

 equally as near the equator 3 and were it not for the 

 great heig'ht of atmospheric temperature^ I should 

 consider this one of the best in the world.'^ How- 

 ever^ two years after the foundation of the settle- 

 ment; when hostilities with the natives had ceased^ 

 and a friendly intercourse been established — when 

 the Bug-is had already taken advantag-e of the pro- 

 tection of Europeans to carry on the trepang* fishery 

 in the bay — when the reported unhealthiness of the 

 climate had never exhibited itself-- in short when 

 the settlement had been brouo-ht into a flourishino- 

 state; orders were suddenl}^ received for its entire 

 abandonment; which were carried into effect on 

 Aug-ust 29th; 1829. 



Eig-ht years after wardS; Government resolved for 

 the fourth time to establish a settlement on the north 

 coast of Australia; with the double view of affording* 



