NEW SOUTH WALES. 71 



place was formed on the East side of the cove, 

 and on the West side a powder magazine was 

 marked out, to be built of stone. The Gover- 

 nor determined, to procure one or two natives 

 and bring them to the settlement, for the pur- 

 pose of learning the native language, that by a 

 capability of conversing, both parties might 

 acquire a proper knowledge of the other, and 

 know their friends and enemies. Accordingly, 

 on December 30th, Lieuts. Ball and Johnstone 

 seized a young man and brought him to the 

 Governor, who had him clothed, and a light 

 iron put on his wrist, he was then committed 

 to the care of a convict, who could be well 

 trusted. A hut had been prepared, and in this 

 he slept well, all the first night, and made no 

 attempt to escape. Thunder, lightning, rain, 

 and hot weather closed the year, yet these violent 

 commotions of the elements, by no means gave 

 the most judicious an unfavourable opinion of 

 the climate; neither did the frequent enormities, 

 committed by the more depraved part of the 

 convicts, make the enlighted part of the colony 

 despair of eventually effecting all the good 

 which could be rationally expected. 



