I794-] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 259 



He did not appear to have acquired much of the Englifh language 

 during his excurfion ; but feemed to comprehend a great deal more 

 than he could find words to exprefs. 



On his arrival at Sydney he found his wife, whom he had left in a 

 ftate of pregnancy, in the po lie Hi 011 of another native, a very fine 

 young fellow. The circumftance of his return, and the novelty of his 

 appearance, being habited in the Englifh drefs, and very clean, drew 

 many of his countrymen about him ; and among others his rival and 

 his wife. The hufband and the gallant eyed each other with indig- 

 nant fullennefs, while the poor wife (who had recently been delivered 

 of a female child) appeared terrified, and as if me knew not which to 

 cling to as her protector, but expecting that me mould be the fufferer, 

 whether afcertained to belong to her former or prefent mailer. A few 

 days, however, determined the point : her travelled hufband fhivered 

 a fpear with the lover, who was wounded in the conteft, and the wife 

 became the prize of the victor; who, after thus afcertaining his right 

 by arms, feemed indifferent about the reward ; and was foon after 

 feen traverfing the country in fearch of another wife. 



By the return of the Francis from Norfolk Ifland, Lieutenant-Go- 

 vernor King reported, that his fecond crop of Indian corn had been 

 fo productive that he was enabled to make an offer of fending five 

 thoufand bufhels of that article to Sydney, if required. 



Notwithstanding the ill fuccefs which had hitherto attended the en- 

 deavours of the Iriih convicts itationed at Toongabbe and Parramatta 

 to find a way from thofe places to China, a few of them were again 

 hardy enough to attempt effecting their efcape, and getting thither, in 

 a fm all boat which they took from a fettler. They had furnhhed 

 themfelves with fome provisions ; but the wretchednefs of their boat 

 inuft have enfured to them the fame end which certainly befel Tar- 

 wood and his companions, particularly as it blew a gale of wind the 

 day fucceeding their departure ; and, no account having been received 

 of them from that day, the 12th, to the end of the month, it was 

 fuppofed that they had periuhed. 



l L 2 From 



