164 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [April,, 



Britain be fomething more than a fanguine hope or vifionary fpecula- 

 tion. The convi&s, and fuch Mores and provifions as: the Governor 

 thought it neceflary to fend to Norfolk Ifland, being embarked, the 

 Pitt failed on the 7th. 



On the 13th died Mr. David Burton, of a gun-ihot wound. This 

 young man, on account of the talents that he pofTefTed as a botanift, and 

 the fervices which, he was capable of rendering in. the furveying line, 

 could but very ill be fpared in the fettlement. His lofs was occafioned 

 by one of thofe accidents which fo frequently happen to perfons who 

 are inexperienced in the ufe of fire-arms. It was remarkable, that this 

 young man went out a mooting with that fenfation of the mind which 

 is called prefentiment, having more than once obferved, that he feared 

 fome accident would happen ; nor did he ceafe to be tormented with 

 this unpleafant idea, until his gun, which he carried rather awkwardly, 

 went off, and lodged its contents in the ground within a few inches of 

 the feet of the perfon who preceded him in the walk through the 

 woods.. Confidering this as the accident which his mind foreboded, 

 he went on afterwards perfectly freed from apprehenfion. But he 

 was deceived; for on reaching the banks of the river, they found on 

 its furface innumerable flocks of thofe fowl of which they were in 

 fearch. Mr. Burton, in order to have a better view of them, got upon 

 the (lump of a tree, and refting his hand on the muzzle of his piece, 

 railed himfelf by its affiftance as high as he was able. The butt of 

 the gun refted on the ground, which was thickly covered with long 

 grafs, mrubs, and weeds. No one faw the danger of fuch a fituation 

 in time to prevent what followed. By fome motion of this unfor- 

 tunate young man the piece went off, and the contents, entering Jhis 

 wrift, forced their way up between the two bones of his right arm, 

 which were much mattered, to the elbow. One of his companions, 

 with great prefence of mind, applied bandages torn from a mirt, or 

 the wounded man muft foon have bled to death. This accident hap- 

 pened at five in the afternoon; and it was not till ten at night of 

 the following day that the fufferer reached Parramatta. The confer 



que.nce. 



■a 



