152 HISTORY OF 



convicts, they formed a plan to strip him, the 

 first time they knew he had any considerable 

 sum about him ; when engaged at play, a party 

 rushed on him just as he had won c 25 dollars, 

 and this at once secured them, but he seized 

 one with 10 dollars in his hand, which was all 

 Jie recovered. The overseer confessed, that it 

 was owing to gaming only, that he became a 

 convict; thus, though under punishment for the 

 effects, he still retained a determination to 

 practice the great cause, of all evils which at- 

 tended him. On the 3d of April, the Dsedalus, 

 store-ship, anchored from the North-West coast 

 of America. The native who went out in this 

 ship, returned without acquiring much of our 

 language, but he had rendered himself particu- 

 larly esteemed by every body in the ship. The 

 Arthur sailed on the same day as the Daedalus 

 arrived, and the Francis came in the next day 

 from Norfolk Island. The good order which 

 reigned in Norfolk Island had rendered keeping 

 the settlers together as a militia, unnecessary. 

 The natives continually visited those parts 

 •where the corn was nearly ripe, and in such 

 numbers, that it was found requisite for the 

 watchmen to fire on them, and this order pro- 

 duced many tales from thfe men about the 

 natives coming in great numbers, and the 

 valour of those who drove them away ; they 

 were at length given no credit to, so in a few 

 days a watchman brought in the head of one 

 native he had shot. On the 24th. of May, the 

 Indispensable, store-ship, arrived from England] 



