OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 24J 



ever, until the Wednefday following ; when, by the (honing and great 

 uneafinefs of the cattle, which had been driven out for the purpofe, 

 it was perceived lying in a hollow or ravine, into which it had been 

 th rown by thofe mercilefs wretches who had butchered him, covered 

 with logs, boughs, and grafs. Some native dogs, led by the feent of 

 human blood, had found it, and by gnawing off both the hands, and 

 the entire Hem from one arm, had added confiderably to the horrid 

 fpectacle which the body exhibited. 



This unfortunate man had imprudently beaded of being worth 

 a good deal of money, and that he always carried it with him fewed 

 up in fome part of his clothes,,to guard againft lofing it. If this was 

 true, what he carried with him certainly proved his deftru&ion ; if 

 not, the cataftrophe rauft be attributed to his indifcreet declarations. 

 By the various wounds which he had received, it appeared that he 

 muft have well defended himfelf, and could not have parted with his 

 life until overpowered by numbers ; for, though advanced in years, he 

 was a (lout mufcular man ; and it was from this circum fiance con- 

 cluded, that more than one perfon was concerned in the murder of 

 him. To difcover, if poffible, the perpetrators of this atrocious offence, 

 one or two men of bad characters were taken up and examined, as 

 well as all the people employed about the flock-yard : but nothing 

 appeared that tended to fix it upon any one of them ; and, defirable 

 as it was that they mould be brought to that punifhment which fooner 

 or later awaited them, it was feared that until fome riot or difagree- 

 ment among themfelves mould occur, no clue would be furniflied 

 that could lead to their detection. In tracing the motives that could 

 lead to this murder, the pernicious vice of gaming prefented itfelf as 

 the firft and grand caufe. To fuch excefs was this purfuit carried 

 among the convicts, that fome had been known, after lofing pro- 

 vifions, money, and all their fpare clothing, to have flaked and loft 

 the very clothes on their wretched backs, (landing in the midfl of 

 their affociates as naked, and as indifferent about it, as the unconfeious 

 natives of the country which thefe gamblers difgraced. Money was, 



i i 2 however 



