fitories o f the metropolis. She remained here nearly three weeks,
taking her departure for China on the 21ft.
Previous to her failing (on the n th ) the Minerva tranfport
arrived from Ireland, with a cargo, not o f elegancies from Bond-
ftreet, but 162 male and 26 female convicts from the gaols o f that
kingdom : all of whom were in perfect health, their treatment and
management on board doing the higheft credit to the mailer, the
furgeon, and his officers ; three only having died during the
pafiage. She was chartered for Bengal; and, as the feafon was
early for her proceeding upon that voyage, the governor, being de-
lirous o f dividing this defcriptian o f people as much as poffible,
would have fent her on with them to Norfolk-Ifland; but no
provifion having been made, as had fometimes been the cafe, for
her proceeding thither under the charter-party, he did not chufe
to give the fum which the mailer demanded. And having
learned that another ffiip, the Friendffiip, had failed at the fame
time from Ireland, he determined to land the convicts and wait
her arrival.
It was much wiffied that a claufe .Ihould be inferted in every
charter-party, enabling the governor to fend the convidls to Nor-
folk-Illand in the ffiip that brought them out, i f he Ihould fee
occafion ; as the difficulty with which they were got together for
that purpofe, when once landed, was inconceivable.
The Minerva, having touched at Rio de Janeiro, had brought
many articles for fale, as well from that Port as from England,
moll o f which were much wanted by the inhabitants ; but the
prices required for them were fuch as to drain the colony o f every
Ihilling that could be got together.
With the Minerva arrived the Fhynne, a fmall fnow from Bengal,
under Daniffi colours, which had been chartered by the officers
o f the colony civil and military, through the means o f an agent
whom they had fent thither for that purpofe. She was freighted
on their account with many articles o f which they were much in
want
281
want j and as more labour could be obtained for fpirits than for any
other mode o f payment, an article fo effential to the cultivation of
their ellates was not forgotten.
On the evening o f the 18th (which had been obferved as the
birth-day o f her Majelly) a convia, in attempting to go alongfide
the Minerva, although repeatedly told to keep off, was Ihot by the
centinel, who was afterwards tried, and acquitted, having only
executed his orders.
The decifion o f this affair was prompt, and unattended with any
doubt or difficulty; but not fo was another bufinefs that had engaged
the attention o f the criminal court. The natives having murdered two
men who poffeffed farms at the Hawkelbury, fome o f the fettlers in
that diftri£t determined to revenge their death. There were at this
time three native boys living with one Powell, a Pettier, and two
others, his neighbours. Thefe unoffending lads they feleded as the
objeds of their revenge. Having informed them, that they thought
they could find the guns belonging to the white men, they were
difpatched for that purpofe, and in a Ihort time brought them in.
Powell and his affociates now began their work of vengeance. They
drove the boys into a barn, where, after tying their hands behind
their backs, thefe cowardly mifcreants repeatedly dabbed them,
until two of them fell and died beneath their hands. The third,
making his efcape, jumped into the river, and,' although in fwim-
ming he could only make ufe of his ’feet, yet under this difad-
vantage, and with the favage murderers o f his companions firing
at him repeatedly, he adually reached the oppofite bank alive, and
foon joined his own people.
The governor, on being made acquainted with this circumftance,
immediately fent to the place, where, buried in a garden, the bodies
o f thefe unfortunate boys were found, ftabbed in feveral places, and
with their hands tied as has been defcribed. Powell and his companions
in this horrid aft were taken into cuftody, and, a court being
convened, they were tried for the wilful murder o f two natives.
VOL, II, 0 0 T§§