I794-] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 2 ^ 



not experience on the voyage any interruption to the good treatment 

 which they had hitherto met with, he determined to accompany them 

 himfelf, and accordingly embarked on board the Britannia, with a 

 guard from the New South Wales corps, and failed for New Zealand 

 on the 9th. Their paffage was fhort ; for on the fourth day the two 

 natives were landed among fome of their friends, though not exactly 

 at the diftricl: in which their families and kindred refided (the Bay of 

 Wands) ; and Mr. King returned to Norfolk Ifland on the 1 8th. 



Mr. King found himfelf compelled to fend by the Francis ten fol- 

 diers, of the detachment of the New South Wales corps on duty there, 

 under a charge of mutinous behaviour. A jealoufy which had grown 

 up between the foldiers and free-men, fettlers and others, occafioned 

 by fome ads of violence, and improper behaviour on either fide, 

 broke out at a place in which the Lieutenant-Governor had permitted 

 plays to be reprefented by the convicts, as an innocent recreation after 

 labour. Mr. King, who was prefent, having thought it neceffary to 

 order one of the foldiers into confinement when the play was ended, 

 the detachment repaired to their own commanding-officer, and de- 

 manded the releafe of their comrade. On his declaring his inability 

 to comply with fuch a requeft, they fignified a refolution to releafe 

 him themfelves 5 upon which the officer remonftrated with them, and 

 they difperfed. It did not appear that they made any attempts to re- 

 leafe the prifoner ; but when the Lieutenant-Governor was made ac- 

 quainted with the above circumftances, he convened all the officers in 

 the fettlement, and laid before them what he had heard, together with 

 an account of a determination among the foldiers, to releafe from the 

 halberts any of their comrades who fhould be ordered to punimment 

 for any offence or injury done to a fettler ; all of which he had caufed 

 to be authenticated upon oath. The refult of this meeting was, that 

 the detachment fhould be difarmed, and that the fettlers late of the 

 marines, and {hip's company, fhould be embodied and armed as a mi- 

 litia. This refolution was accordingly put in execution, by fending 

 the detachment from their quarters unarmed, upon different duties, 



K K while 



