432 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [December, 



with the moft favage rage ; for he had received a blow on the head 

 with the butt end of a mufquet. 



It became neceffary to confine hi in during the night, as well to 

 prevent the mifchief with which he threatened the white people, as to 

 lave him from the anger of the military ; and on the following morn- 

 ing he quitted the town. 



This man, inftead of making himfelf ufeful, or (hewing the lead 

 gratitude for the numberlefs favours that he had received, had become 

 a moft infolent and troublefome favage. As it was impoffible fome- 

 times to avoid cenfuring him for his conduct, he had been known to 

 walk about armed, and heard to declare that it was for the exprefs 

 purpofe of fpearing the Governor whenever he faw him. This laft 

 outrage of his had rendered him more hateful than any of his coun- 

 trymen ; and, as the natives, who had fo conftantly refided and received 

 fo many comforts in the fettlement, were now afraid to appear in the 

 town, believing that, like themfelves, thofe whom he had offended 

 would punifh all for the mifconducl: of one, it might rather be ex- 

 pected that Ben-nil-long could not be far from meeting that punifh- 

 ment which he certainly provoked and merited. 



There were at this time in the town of Sydney three fchools for 

 the education of children ; and on the breaking-up for the Chriftmas 

 holidays the Governor was gratified with the fight of 102 clean and 

 decently-dreffed children, who came with their feveral mafters and 

 miftrefles, and paid their refpe&s to his Excellency, who examined 

 the progrefs of the elder fcholars. 



One moment's reflection on the vices that prevailed in the colony 

 will be fufficient to excite a wifh, that fome inftitution could have 

 been devifed for feparating the greater part of thefe (at prefent, inno- 

 cent) members of the community from their vicious parents, where 

 they could have been educated at the public expence, their propen- 

 fities to evil corrected, and that turn given to their attainments which 

 fhould fecure them a ftock of ufeful knowledge. An arrangement of 

 this nature was every day becoming more neceffary ; there being not 



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