progress of the execution, and rode immediately to the governor,
to whom he feelingly represented these extraordinary
circumstances, and his excellency was pleased to extend his
majesty's mercy. Samuels was afterwards transported to another
settlement, in consequence of his continuance in his dishonest
career, and has subsequently lost his life on the coast, in
making an attempt to escape from the colony.

In the month of October, Lieutenant-Governor Collins arrived
to form and command a settlement at Port Phillip: he was
accompanied by detachments of marines and convicts; but the
situation being found particularly ineligible, after
communicating with the governor in chief, he removed to the river
Derwent, where he arrived on the 19th of February, 1804, and a
very extensive settlement was speedily formed there; as, in
addition to the numbers of persons he took with him, a great many
settlers and others went thither from Norfolk Island, since that
place had been ordered to be evacuated. In the following April, a
new settlement was formed at the Coal River, now called King's
Town, Newcastle District, the county of Northumberland, and a
short distance to the northward of Port Jackson. Previous to this
period, some form of government had been adopted at that place,
in order to enable vessels going there to procure cedar and coals
with greater facility; but, on account of the increasing trade,
the governor considered it expedient to found a regular
settlement, and thus to establish a commercial intercourse of
greater importance.

At the commencement of the year 1804, the tranquillity of the
colony experienced some interruption. I have mentioned in the