capitally convicted of the murder of a native boy, in January,
1800, acts as a check on their violent dispositions, and prevents
the recurrence of such sanguinary proceedings. Some years
previous to this period, the Europeans at the Hawkesbury suffered
considerably from the marauding inclinations of the natives,
several of their huts being burned, and themselves severely
wounded; their corn-fields were also frequently despoiled, and
their future promise blasted. On these as well as subsequent
occasions, the settlers, in defence of their persons and
property, were compelled to have recourse to arms, the natural
and necessary consequence of which was the destruction of some of
the plundering tribes; but, in these instances, the circumstances
justified the deed, and the governor sent assistance to them,
rather than the contrary. In fact, so many atrocious deeds were
committed by one of their leaders at Hawkesbury, who had long
been a determined enemy to the Europeans, that Governor King
found it necessary to issue an order, offering a reward to any
person who should kill him and bring in his head. This was soon
accomplished by artifice, the man received the reward, and the
head was sent to England in spirits by the Speedy. Those
practices, however, had now, in a great measure, been done away
with, and it was seldom heard that any steps of violence were
pursued on either side. But when thus speaking of the general
good understanding which exists between the Europeans and
natives, I must be understood to confine my meaning to the
vicinity of the principal settlements; for about the remoter
coasts they are still savages, as may be gathered from the
following narrative of an occurrence in April, 1808:--The Fly,
colonial vessel, being driven into Bateman's Bay by bad weather,
had occasion to send three of her crew on shore to search for