NEW SOUTH WALES. 135 



it be, if pensions were granted to all those who 

 equally deserve them, and withheld from those* 

 who do not. Some of the ignorant Irish con- 

 victs, this month seized a boat, but after an ab- 

 sence of some time, landed at Botany Bay^ 

 which led to their detection of course. On the 

 17th, a dreadful accident happened at Para- 

 matta; a building in which was 2400 bushels 

 of maize caught fire, and M r as comsumed with 

 a number of fine hogs. In the course of Sep- 

 tember, it became requisite to treat the natives 

 with severity. A settler, and his servant, at 

 Hawkesbury, were nearly murdered by the 

 natives who stole on them so privately, as not 

 to be discovered, till they had got so near as to 

 prevent their getting assistance. A few days 

 after, the natives attacked some others, and 

 carried off e\*ery thing they could find ; but the 

 settlers collectively followed, with arms, and 

 killed eight on the spot. The Daedalus sailed, 

 for Norfolk Island, on the 26th, with provi- 

 sions and stores, and the wives of Bennillong 

 and his companion, who wished to withdraw 

 from the other natives, till the return of Bennil- 

 long and his companion from England. On 

 the 29 th, the Fancy sailed. In the beginning 

 of October, John Bevan, a most daring fellow, 

 was caught in the act of house-breaking, he 

 was tried on the first, and executed on the 

 sixth ; the evening before which, a murder was 

 perpetrated by one Hill, a butcher, on the body 

 of Simon Brown, a settler, who he owed an 

 animosity. It appeared on the trial, that Hill, 



