Our Party Now Thought It Time To Proceed On Their Original Expedition,
And Having Taken Leave Of Their Sable Friends,
Rowed to some distance,
where they landed, and set out for Broken Bay, ordering the coxswain
of the boat, in
Which they had come down, to go immediately and acquaint
the governor of all that had passed. When the natives saw that the boat
was about to depart, they crowded around her, and brought down, by way of
present, three or four great junks of the whale, and put them on board of her,
the largest of which, Baneelon expressly requested might be offered,
in his name, to the governor.
It happened that his excellency had this day gone to a landmark,
which was building on the South-head, near the flag-staff, to serve as
a direction to ships at sea, and the boat met him on his return to Sydney.
Immediately on receiving the intelligence, he hastened back to the South-head,
and having procured all the fire-arms which could be mustered there,
consisting of four muskets and a pistol, set out, attended by Mr. Collins
and Lieutenant Waterhouse of the navy.
When the boat reached Manly Cove, the natives were found still busily employed
around the whale. As they expressed not any consternation on seeing us row
to the beach, governor Phillip stepped out unarmed, and attended by one seaman
only, and called for Baneelon, who appeared, but, notwithstanding his former
eagerness, would not suffer the other to approach him for several minutes.
Gradually, however, he warmed into friendship and frankness, and presently
after Colbee came up. They discoursed for some time, Baneelon expressing
pleasure to see his old acquaintance, and inquiring by name for every person
whom he could recollect at Sydney; and among others for a French cook,
one of the governor's servants, whom he had constantly made the butt of
his ridicule, by mimicking his voice, gait, and other peculiarities,
all of which he again went through with his wonted exactness and drollery.
He asked also particularly for a lady from whom he had once ventured
to snatch a kiss; and on being told that she was well, by way of proving that
the token was fresh in his remembrance, he kissed Lieutenant Waterhouse,
and laughed aloud. On his wounds being noticed, he coldly said, that he had
received them at Botany Bay, but went no farther into their history.
Hatchets still continued to be called for with redoubled eagerness,
which rather surprised us, as formerly they had always been accepted
with indifference. But Baneelon had probably demonstrated to them
their superiority over those of their own manufacturing. To appease their
importunity, the governor gave them a knife, some bread, pork, and other
articles, and promised that in two days he would return hither,
and bring with him hatchets to be distributed among them, which appeared
to diffuse general satisfaction.
Baneelon's love of wine has been mentioned; and the governor, to try whether
it still subsisted, uncorked a bottle, and poured out a glass of it,
which the other drank off with his former marks of relish and good humour,
giving for a toast, as he had been taught, "The King."
Our party now advanced from the beach but, perceiving many of the Indians
filing off to the right and left, so as in some measure to surround them,
they retreated gently to their old situation, which produced neither alarm
or offence. The others by degrees also resumed their former position.
A very fine barbed spear of uncommon size being seen by the governor,
he asked for it. But Baneelon, instead of complying with the request,
took it away, and laid it at some distance, and brought back a throwing-stick,
which he presented to his excellency.
Matters had proceeded in this friendly train for more than half an hour,
when a native, with a spear in his hand, came forward, and stopped
at the distance of between twenty and thirty yards from the place where
the governor, Mr. Collins, Lieutenant Waterhouse, and a seaman stood.
His excellency held out his hand, and called to him, advancing towards him
at the same time, Mr. Collins following close behind. He appeared to be
a man of middle age, short of stature, sturdy, and well set, seemingly
a stranger, and but little acquainted with Baneelon and Colbee. The nearer
the governor approached, the greater became the terror and agitation
of the Indian. To remove his fear, governor Phillip threw down a dirk,
which he wore at his side. The other, alarmed at the rattle of the dirk,
and probably misconstruing the action, instantly fixed his lance
in his throwing-stick*.
[*Such preparation is equal to what cocking a gun, and directing it
at its object, would be with us. To launch the spear, or to touch the trigger,
only remains.]
To retreat, his excellency now thought would be more dangerous than to advance.
He therefore cried out to the man, Weeeree, Weeree, (bad; you are doing wrong)
displaying at the same time, every token of amity and confidence.
The words had, however, hardly gone forth, when the Indian, stepping back
with one foot, aimed his lance with such force and dexterity, that striking*
the governor's right shoulder, just above the collar-bone, the point
glancing downward, came out at his back, having made a wound
of many inches long. The man was observed to keep his eye steadily fixed
on the lance until it struck its object, when he directly dashed into the woods
and was seen no more.
[*His excellency described the shock to me as similar to a violent blow,
with such energy was the weapon thrown.]
Instant confusion on both sides took place. Baneelon and Colbee disappeared
and several spears were thrown from different quarters, though without effect.
Our party retreated as fast as they could, calling to those who were left
in the boat, to hasten up with firearms. A situation more distressing
than that of the governor, during the time that this lasted, cannot readily
be conceived:
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