43 6 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [January, 



tigued and exhaufted with their journey, over the very word and 

 moft dangerous part of the country. This plan was no fooner fettled, 

 than it was difcovered that a party of thefe mifcreants had concerted 

 with the four deputies to meet them at a certain place, where they 

 were to murder the perfons intended to be their guides, poffefs them- 

 felves of their arms and provifions, and then purfue their own route. 

 This diabolical fcheme was counteracted by the addition of four fol- 

 diers to the guides ; and on the 14th they fet off from Parramatta. 



On the 24th the foldiers returned with three of the deputies, who, 

 having gained the foot of the firft mountains, were fo completely fick 

 of their journey, and the profpecT before them, that they requefted 

 to return with the foldiers ; one man only expreffed a refolution to 

 perfevere, and penetrate further into the country, and was left with 

 the guides for that purpofe. 



The hiftory of thefe people might well be fuppofed to end here ; 

 but their reftlefs difpofitions w r ere aot calculated to remain long itt 

 peace. 



It will be feen by recurring to the month of October, that a boat 

 had been carried off in the night by fome people who were fuppofed 

 to have taken her out to fea, where, from the w r eaknefs of the boat, 

 they mud have perimed ; but they were now, contrary to all expec- 

 tation, heard of again. A fettler who kept a boat gave information that 

 {he had been boarded in the night off M ullet lfland by thefe very peo- 

 ple ; and that one of them, having againft his inclination been concern- 

 ed in the robbery, had left them and returned to the fettlement. From 

 this man the following particulars were obtained. Having effected the 

 capture, they proceeded to the fouthward, with an intention of reach- 

 ing the wreck of the fhip Sydney-Cove. For their guide, they had 

 a pocket compafs, of which fcarcely one man of the fourteen who com- 

 pofed the party knew the ufe. In this boat they were twice thrown 

 .on more, and at laft reached an ifland, where, had they not fortu- 

 nately found many birds and feals, they mull inevitably have pe- 

 rifhed. 



From 



