228 STATE OF THE COLONY. 



free from American encroachments, would become 

 one of the most important branches of industry. 



Durincf the time that Miao^o was on board we 

 took great pains to wean him from his natural pro- 

 pensity for the savage life by instilling such informa- 

 tion as his untutored mind was capable of receiving, 

 and from his often expressed resolutions we were 

 led to hope a cure had been effected ; great was 

 our disappointment then on finding that in less than 

 a fortnight after our arrival, he had resumed his 

 original wildness, and was again to be numbered 

 amongst the native inhabitants of the bush. To us 

 he had been the source of great mirth, by the absurd 

 anecdotes he sometimes related about his coun- 

 trymen. His account of their conjectures respect- 

 ing the arrival of the first settlers may amuse the 

 reader ; he said, " the ships were supposed to be 

 trees, and the cattle large dogs (the only animal be- 

 sides the kangaroo known to thorn), whose size and 

 horns excited such alarm, that one which strayed into 

 the bush being met by a party of natives made them 

 climb up the nearest trees in the greatest terror." 



It may give some definite idea of the neglected 

 state of this infant colony, to mention that during 

 the entire period of our absence — a space of six 

 months— there had been but one arrival there, and 

 that not from England. The solitary visitor was 

 H.M.S. Pelorus from the Indian station. The want 

 of communication with the mother country was be- 

 ginning to be felt severely, and in matters of graver 



