NEW SOUTH WALES. 129 



of their friends, and on the 10th day, Governor 

 King returned to Norfolk Island ; and the se- 

 cond day after the Britannia again sailed. Ten 

 of the New South Wales corps, were sent to 

 Sydney from Norfolk Island for mntinbiis con- 

 duct, and after atrial of five dayjs'' were found 

 guilty, but recommended 1$) mercy..,- The of- 

 fence committed, was owing to a jealousy which 

 had arisen between the soldiers and free men, 

 settlers and others, occasioned by some acts of 

 violence and improper behaviour on both sides, 

 which broke out one evening, at a place the 

 Lieutenant-Governor had permitted plays to be 

 represented by the convicts. Mr. King, who 

 was present, thought it necessary to order one of 

 the soldiers into confinement. When the play 

 was ended, the detachment repaired to their 

 commanding officer, and demanded the release 

 of their comrade ; on his declaring his inabi- 

 lity to comply with such request, they signified 

 a resolution to release him themselves; upon 

 which the officer remonstrated with them, and 



ing the European hemp, and the accidents to which it is liable 

 during its growth, are all, by using this flax, avoided, as it 

 needs no cultivation, and grows in sufficient abundance on all 

 the cliffs of the island (where nothing else will grow) to give 

 constant employment to five hundred people. Indeed, should 

 it be thought an object/any quantity of canvas, rope or linen, 

 might be made there, provided there were men and women, 

 weavers, flax-dressers, spinners, and rope-makers, with the 

 necessary tools ; but destitute as our people were of these aids, 

 all that could be done was to keep in employ the few that could 

 be spared from other essential work. 



S. 



