I797-] 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



had found frequently very kind, and at other times extremely favage. 

 To add to the probability of this having been their end, Mr, Clarke 

 mentioned the morofe, unfeeling difpofition of the carpenter, who 

 often, when fome friendly natives had prefented him with a few fifh, 

 growled that they had not given him all, and infifted, that becaufe they 

 were black fellows, it would be right to take it by force. By fome 

 illiberal and intemperate act of this nature, there was much reafon to 

 believe he had brought on himfelf and his ill-fated companion, the 

 mate (a man caft in a gentler mould), a painful and premature death. 



Mr. Clarke, and the two other people who arrived with him, were 

 very much exhaufted, and could not probably have borne up much 

 longer againft the toil that attends travelling in fuch a country, as the 

 unfettled part of New Holland every where prefents. All poffible at- 

 tention, however, being paid to their fituation, they quickly recovered 

 their ftrength and fpirits. 



Several inftances have already been given of the danger and diffi- 

 culty that attended travelling through the woods- j in which many 

 people have either wandered till they died, or have been aflaffinated 

 by the natives. Every caution that humanity could fuggeft had been 

 given ; yet even at this advanced period of the fettlement an inftance 

 occurred which proved to how little purpofe. A foldier, who had 

 taken his pafiage in a boat to go to the Hawkefbury, prevailed on the 

 crew to land him on the fouth fhore of Broken Bay, intending to pro- 

 ceed to the fettlement by land ; but which he was never able to accom- 

 plifh. Several parties were fent in fearch of him, but they returned 

 unfuccefsful, and no doubt could be entertained of his end having been 

 truly deporable ; as was that of a very fine girl of ten years of age, 

 who about the fame time was burnt to death by a ftubble field having 

 taken fire while {he was in the midft of it. The flames were fo rapid, 

 that (he was unable to efcape from them, and perifhed in the moft ex- 

 traordinary and terrible manner. 



On the 27th of May, the ihip Britannia anchored between the heads 

 from Ireland, having on board 150 male and 50 female convicts from 



that 



