Their Demand Of Hatchets Being Re-Iterated, Notwithstanding Our Refusal,
They Were Asked Why They Had Not Brought With Them
Some of their own?
They excused themselves by saying, that on an occasion of the present sort,
they always left
Them at home, and cut up the whale with the shell
which is affixed to the end of the throwing-stick.
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.
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