on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing,
the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He
is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think
commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have
done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction
of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety,
privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but
which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber
in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With
reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master
Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in
addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise
in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation
of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same
station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore,
ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the
circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before
us in a partial and imperfect manner.

The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I
sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those
things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of
geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the
despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the
time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening,
however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and
the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I
had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him
to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to
the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee,