* 793-1 OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 303 



them in future at hard labour ; but they found means to efcape to thofe 

 companions whom they preferred. 



Toward the conclufion of Auguft the natives were, during two 

 days, engaged in very fevere contefts, in which much blood was med, 

 and many wounds inflicted; but no one was killed, It appeared to 

 afford much diverfion j for they were conftantly attended by all de- 

 fcriptions of people, notwithstanding the rifk they ran of being wound- 

 ed by a random fpear. 



On the :6th, the fettlement was gratified' by the arrival of his Ma- 

 jelly's fhip Providence, of twenty-eight guns, commanded by Captain 

 Broughton, from England ; from whence Ihe failed on the 25th of 

 February, in company with his Majefty's mips Reliance and Supply, 

 which flie left at Rio de Janeiro fome time in May. On board the 

 former of thefe veffels was Governor Hunter, who might be daily ex- 

 pected. The Providence met with very bad weather on her paflage 

 from the Brazil coaft, and was. driven pad the harbour of Port Jackfon 

 as far to the northward as Port Stephens, in which me anchored ; and 

 where, to the great furprife of Captain Broughton, he found and re- 

 ceived on board four white people, (if four miferable, naked, dirty, 

 and fmoak-dried men could be called white,) runaways from Parra- 

 matta in the month of September 1790, by name John Tar wood,. 

 George Lee, George Con no way, and John Watfon : thefe, the reader 

 will recollect, have before been mentioned as fuppofed victims to the 

 folly of their undertaking. Their fifth companion (Jofeph Sutton) 

 had died. They told a melancholy tale of their fufferings in the boat ; 

 and for many days after their arrival they paffed their time in de- 

 tailing to the crowds, both of black and white people which attended, 

 their adventures in Port Stephens, the firft harbour that they made. 

 Having lived like the favages among whom they dwelt, their change 

 of food foon difagreed with them, and they were all taken ill, appear- 

 ing to be principally affected with abdominal fwellings. They fpoke in 

 high terms of the pacific difpofition and gentle manners of the natives. 

 Each of thefe had had a name given him, and given with feveral cere- 

 monies, 



