NEW SOUTH WALES. 10 i 



where they might live without work. A party 

 went in search of them without effect, but a 

 boat going down the harbour a few clays after, 

 found the wife of one of the convicts who had 

 absconded with him; however she had been 

 absent from the party three days, and had wan- 

 dered by herself; the next day a boat brought 

 her husband back to the settlement. They both 

 gave the same account of the intentions of the 

 whole party, and that they had suffered much 

 by fatigue, heat of the weather, and hunger, 

 Three more of these foolish people, were found 

 by some officers on an excursion, but did not 

 readily surrender themselves. They were sent 

 to Paramatta, and careless of what they before 

 suffered, they a second time decamped, but 

 parties were sent in pursuit directly, and re- 

 turned with thirteen of those who first went off, 

 in a state dreadfully exhausted, having existed 

 chiefly by sucking the wild honey-flower and 

 shrubs. It was generally imagined, that the 

 distressed appearance of these would deter all 

 others from similar attempts ; but more effectu- 

 ally to guard against them, the Governor made 

 known, that in future^ the parties sent after 

 any run-a-ways would have orders to fire on 

 them, or if brought back alive, they should 

 be chained together, and live on bread and 

 water only for the rest of their terms ; and 

 he told them also, that he understood they in- 

 tended to arm themselves and seize on the 

 stores ; but if any such attempt was made, every 

 juan concerned should be put to death directly. 



