40 THE PASTORAL AGE IN AUSTRALASIA 



Then, at this first height of success, came his first 

 check. Instead of loyally co-operating with the wise 

 and strong new ruler, Governor King, who had been 

 sent out to suppress the infamous trafficking in spirits 

 practised by the miUtary and some civil officers, he took 

 prompt action to show his disapproval of King's drastic 

 pohcy. He offered to sell his farm and stock to the 

 Government, and declared his intention of leaving the 

 Colony. He was to leave it, but under far less honour- 

 able circumstances than he designed. One Lieutenant 

 Marshall, unconnected with the New South Wales 

 Corps, had assaulted a captain of that corps and also 

 our friend McArthur. Marshall was tried by the officers 

 of that distinguished regiment, and sentenced to be 

 fined and imprisoned. King remitted the fine and 

 term of imprisonment, and sent the condemned officer 

 to England to be tried by a more legitimate tribunal. 

 This proceeding incensed the officers, who resolved to 

 make themselves offensive to the Governor. Their 

 colonel opposed the resolution, and thus incurred 

 McArthur's wrath. McArthur insulted Paterson, well 

 knowing that, according to the savage code of " honour "' 

 binding in those barbarous days, Paterson must demand 

 •" satisfaction." Our champion swashbuckler was more 

 nearly successful this time than he usually was in his 

 assassination-plots, and Paterson long lay between 

 life and death. Meanwhile, the impenitent McArthur 

 was arrested and imprisoned. When Paterson 

 recovered, McArthur, having a quixotic private, in 

 addition to the conventional public, code of honour, 

 refused to " quit his arrest," and the much-tried 

 Governor washed his hands of him by sending him to 

 England to be dealt with. 



We need not follow him in chase of his brutal Dul- 

 cinea, but will confine our attention to the good fortune 

 that his contriving brain, and not his destructive sword, 

 hewed out by the way for himself and the Colony. In 

 June 1801 the Duke of Portland, the new ephemeral 

 Secretary of State, sternly censured the association of 



