1790.] 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



ii i 



warmth his fatisfaction at feeing him again. Several articles of 

 wearing apparel were given to him and his companions (taken for 

 that purpofe from the people in the boat, bat who, all but one man, 

 remained on their oars to be ready in cafe of any accident) ; and a 

 promife was exacted from his Excellency by Bennillong to return in 

 two days with more, and alfo with fome hatchets or tomahawks. The 

 cove was full of natives allured by the attractions of a whale-feaft ; and 

 it being remarked, during the conference, that twenty or thirty of them 

 were drawing into a circle round the Governor and his friends (who 

 had mod inexcufably expofed themfelves), the Governor propofed re- 

 tiring to the boat by degrees ; but Bennillong, who had prefented to 

 him feveral natives by name, pointed out one, whom the Governor, 

 thinking to take particular notice of, ftepped forward to meet, holding 

 out both his hands towards him; The lavage not understanding this 

 civility, and perhaps thinking that he was going to feize him as a 

 prifoner, lifted a fpear from the grafs with his foot, and, fixing it on 

 his throwing- flick, in an inftant darted it at the Governor. The 

 fpear entered a little above the collar-bone, and had been difcharged 

 with fuch force that the barb of it came through on the other fide. 

 Several other fpears were thrown, but happily no further mifchief was 

 effected. The fpear was with difficulty broken by one of the gentle- 

 men prefent ; and while the Governor was walking down to the 

 boat the people landed with the arms j but of four mufquets which 

 they brought on more one only could be fired. 



The boat had five miles to row before it reached the fettlement ; 

 but, the people in her exerting themfelves to the utmoft, the Governor 

 was in his houfe in fomething lefs than two hours. The fpear 

 was extracted with much fkili by one of the affiftant-furgeons, who 

 immediately pronounced the wound not mortal. 



No other motive could be ailigned for this conduct in the favage^ 

 than the fuppofed apprehenfion tha^fome ill was intended him by the 

 Governor ; but it certainly would not have happened had the pre- 

 caution of taking even a fingle mufket on fhore been attended to. 



