i8o A COLONIAL AUTOCRACY. 



committed on the high seas, I will feel it my duty so far to 

 exercise the general powers with which I am entrusted for the 

 protection of His Majesty's subjects in the territory as to send 

 home prisoners these persons who shall be deemed most 

 criminal (if criminality be attached to the proceedings by the 

 Court of Enquiry), for your Lordship, and His Majesty's Govern- 

 ment, to adopt such measures thereon as may appear due to the 

 circumstances of the case." l 



The court met for the first time on the 2Oth August and 

 closed its proceedings protracted by reason of Wylde's other 

 judicial duties on the 4th of October. 



The period was not a tranquil one. The position of the 

 officers and crew of the Chapman was dangerous, for the Sydney 

 people knew, most of them from personal experience, the 

 miseries of the voyage and the helplessness of the prisoners 

 under harsh discipline. Stories told by the convicts from the 

 Chapman were repeated in every tavern, and it was little wonder 

 that there was talk of vengeance in the air. Drake, the master 

 of the Chapman, wrote to Campbell on the ipth August: 



" In consequence of ill-treatment my ship's company have 

 received from the people here, particularly on Sunday night, when 

 several of them were unmercifully beaten, and their lives 

 threatened, as was mine and my officers, and as we are to attend 

 to-morrow at the court-room, 1 beg you will have the goodness 

 to give us protection to and from that place. Several of the 

 people on shore were heard to say last night, that to-morrow 

 should be their day for revenge and that they would have my 

 life. Under these circumstances I beg you will take it into 

 consideration." 2 



Campbell asked Wentworth to provide special police protec- 

 tion, and told Drake of the arrangement without concealing his 

 contempt and scepticism ; but there is no reason to suppose that 

 Drake exaggerated the case. 



The forced detention of the Chapman of course caused the 

 captain great loss and injury, and he was probably uneasy as to 

 the result of the inquiry. While Macquarie was at Parramatta, 

 and Lieutenant-Governor Molle in charge at Sydney, Drake 



1 D. 29, I2th September, 1817. R.O., MS. 



a Drake to Campbell, igth August, 1817. Enclosure, R.O., MS. 



