EAFFLES' BAY SETTLEMENT. 141 



the sentries to fire upon the natives whenever they 

 approached^ and on one occasion they were greeted 

 with a discharg-e of grape-shot. At leng-th one of 

 the soldiers was speared^ and in reprisal a party 

 was sent out^ which, coming unexpectedly upon a 

 camp of natives, killed and wounded several, in- 

 cluding a woman and two chUdren. When the 

 Bugis paid their annual visit to the coast several 

 prahus remained to fish for trepang under the pro- 

 tection of the settlement. Of the healthiness of the 

 place the medical officer states, " There is no 

 endemic disease here. The climate of the place 

 surpasses every other as far as I know, which is 

 equally as near the equator ; and were it not for the 

 great height of atmospheric temperature, I should 

 consider this one of the best in the world." How- 

 ever, two years after the foundation of the settle- 

 ment, when hostilities with the natives had ceased, 

 and a friendly intercourse been established — when 

 the Bugis had already taken advantage of the pro- 

 tection of Europeans to carry on the trepang fishery 

 in the bay — when the reported unhealthiness of the 

 climate had never exhibited itself— in short when 

 the settlement had been brought into a flourishing 

 state, orders were suddenly received for its entire 

 abandonment, which were carried into effect on 

 August 29th, 1829. 



Eight years afterwards. Government resolved for 

 the fourth time to estabhsh a settlement on the north 

 coast of Australia, with the double view of affording 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



