ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH n o COLONY {179S.
might be able to procure fpirits, “ tbatfource—as the governor ex-
prefTed himfelf in an order which he publilhed diredly after thefe
executions—that fource o f the misfortunes of all thofe whom the laws
o f their country, and the juftice that was due to others, had launched
into eternity, furrounded with the .crimes o f an ill-fpent life.
The court having ordered that Francis Morgan lhould. be hung in
chains upon the fmall ifland which is fituated in.the middle o f the
harbour, and named by the natives Mat-te-wan-ye, a gibbet,was
accordingly eroded, and he was hung there, exhibiting an objed o f
much greater terror to,the natives, than to the white people, many
e f whom were more- inclined to make a je ll -of i t ; but to the
natives his appearance was fo frightful—his clothes lhaking in the
wind, and the creaking o f his irons, added to their fuperftitious
ideas o f ghofts (for thefe children o f ignorance imagined that, like
a ghoft, this man might have the power of taking hold o f them by
the throat'), all rendering him fuch an alarming object to them,—
that they never trailed themfelves near him, nor the fpot on which
he hung ; which, until this time, had ever been with them a favourite
place of refort.
The Prince o f Wales, havingbeen cleared of her cargo, failed on
the 23d for China. Previous to her departure, the mailer having
complained o f the condud o f his fliip’s company, the governor
appointed a day for their appearing before him ; when the differences
which fubfifted between them were inquired into by his
excellency, and fettled to the fatisfadion o f all parties.
The public works in which the people at Sydney had been employed
during this month, confided in receiving the cargoes o f the
two ViduaUers, and in clearing out the tanks or refervoirs for water,
which had become a neceffary work, as they never had been emptied
■ or cleanfed fince they were firft cut and filled in the year 1792 *.
•<* Xhe principal tank contained about 7996 gallons o f water. Vide Vol. I , p. 2 14 .
Decern,]
m
D e c e m b e r . ] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. i r
December.] On the 6th o f December the Sylph, having been
difcharged from government employ, proceeded on her voyage to
China. On fearching her, two male convids were found concealed, ,
who were brought, on Ihore, and punilhed for their attempt to ef-
eape from the place o f their tranfportation.
The ill fuocels with which thefe attempts were attended
might have been expeded, to deter others from rilking the certain '
punilhment which followed'their being deteded; but,, as fome
were known’ to have eluded the ftridell fearch, every one who»
could'.find a-friend among the feamen to conceal him, hoped that he-
might prove the fortunate one who fhould efcape, Although they
every day faw that no obftacle was thrown in the way of the ponvid:
who had got through-the period o f his tranfportation with credit
and a. good charader, but' that he. was fullered to.depart with the
mailer o f any {hip who would receive him, and. a .certificate given •
to.him o f his being a free man ; yet, thoughtlefs,. and. dilfatisfied
with their prefent fituation,,be-it. what it might,. they preferred
encountering the hazard.of being difcovered-and punilhed, . or, even
i f they; reached another, country, the .difcredit. with.which, they mull
appear, if-it Ihould be known that they were convids from “ Botany
Bay,” to waiting with patience, until they could be difmilTed from,
the colony with .the reputation o f having ^deferved the Hate o f freedom,
at which they had arrived..
On the 16th o f the month,.a-general.mutter o f all defcriptions
o f perfons took place over every part of the colony at the fame, hour; .
for’ it ;had been found, that in muftering. one diftrid at a . time, .a.
deception, had been fuccefsfully pradifed by fome, o f running from
one place to-another, .and anfwering to their names at each, thereby
drawing provifions from both llores, having’previoufly impofed them-
felves on the llorekeepers as .belonging, to their.diftrid. This couid .
not, indeed, have long continued, if the llorekeepers had been pro- -
gerly attentive to the diredions which they received; but it was almoll
impoffible to guard againft .the artful and well-contrived deceptions ’
C; 2 which'. <