1 8 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [178& 



was foon perceived they were accuftomed to leave under the rocks, 

 or looie and fcattered about upon the beaches. 



There was, however, great reafon to believe, that thefe precautions 

 were firft rendered fmitlefs by the ill conduct of a boat's crew be- 

 longing to one of the transports, who had attempted to land in one 

 of the coves at the lower part of the harbour, but were prevented, 

 and driven off with ftones by the natives. A party of them, con- 

 lifting of fixteen or eighteen perfons, fome time after landed on the 

 ifland, where the people of the Sirius were preparing a garden, and, 

 with much artifice watching their opportunity, carried off a fhovel, a 

 fpade, and a pick-axe. On their being fired at, and hit on the legs- 

 by one of the people with fmall (hot, the pick-axe was dropped, but 

 they carried off the other tools. 



To fuch circumftances as thefe muff, be attributed the termi- 

 nation of that good underftanding which had hitherto fub lifted,, 

 and which Governor Phillip laboured to improve whenever he 

 had an opportunity. But it might have been forefeen that this 

 would unavoidably happen : the convicts were every where ftragr 

 gling about, collecting animals and gum to fell to the people 

 of the tranfports, who at the fame time were procuring fpears, 

 Ihields, fwords, ftfhing-lines, and other articles from the natives, 

 to carry to Europe ; the lofs of which muft have been attended 

 with many inconveniences to the owners, as it was foon evident that 

 they were the only means whereby they obtained or could procure 

 their daily fubfiftence ; and although fome of thefe people had been 

 punifhed for purchafing articles of the convicts, the practice w r as car- 

 ried on fecretly, and attended with all the bad effects that were to be 

 expected from it. The Governor had alfo the mortification to learn, 

 that M. de la Peroufe had been compelled to fire upon the natives at 

 Botany Bay, where they frequently annoyed his people w 7 ho were em- 

 ployed on fhore. This circumftance materially affected the new inha- 

 bitants, as hofe who had rendered this violence neceffary could not 

 difcriminate between the two nations. The Englifti were, however, 



8 perfectly 



