74 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [November, 



The Cummer was obferved to be the chief feafon of fifti. A rim- 

 ing boat belonging to the colony had fo many fifh in the feine, 

 that, had it not burft at the moment of landing, it was imagined that 

 a fufficiency would have been taken to have ferved the fettlement for 

 a day ; as it was, a very confiderable quantity was brought in ; and 

 not long after a boat belonging to the Sirius caught feven-and-forty 

 of the large Mi, which obtained among them the appellation of 

 Light Horfemen, from the peculiar conformation of the bone of the 

 head, which gave the fifh the appearance of having a light horfe- 

 man's- helmet. 



The Governor, after the death of the native who was carried off 

 by the fmall-pox, never had loft fight of a determination to procure 

 another with the firft favourable opportunity. A boat had feveral 

 times gone down the harbour for that purpofe ; but without fucceed- 

 ing, until the 25th of this month, wherr the firft lieutenant of the 

 Sirius, accompanied by the mafter, fortunately fecured two natives, 

 both men, and took them up to the fettlement. Being well known 

 to the children, through their means every affurance was given them 

 of their perfect fafety. They were taken up to the Governor's, the 

 place intended for their future refidence, where fuch reftraint was 

 laid upon their perfons as was judged requifite for their fecurity. 



The affurances of fafety which were given them, and the fteps which 

 were taken to keep them in. a ftate of fecurity, were not perfectly 

 fatisfa&ory to the elder of the two ; and he fecretly determined to 

 take the firft opportunity that offered of giving his attendants no far- 

 ther trouble upon his account. The negligence of his keeper very 

 foon gave him the opportunity that he defired ; and he made his 

 efcape, taking with him. into the woods the fetter which had been ri- 

 vetted to his leg,, and which every one who knew the circumftance 

 imagined he would never be able to remove. His companion would 

 have joined him in his flight v but fear detained him a few minutes too 

 late, and he was feized while tremblingly alive to the joyful profpecl: 

 of efcaping,. 



The 



