ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH 12 COLONY [1796.
which thefe people were conftantly playing off, to impofe upon
propriety, regulation, and good order.
It being at this time much wifhed to get four or five hundred
acres o f the ground belonging to government in a ftate to be fown
the next feafon with wheat, the governor went up to Parramatta, to
fettle fome neceffary concerns there, and to endeavour, i f poffible,
to get ftrength fufficient for that purpofe. While here, he had the
fatisfadfion o f knowing that the ftock o f large cattle belonging to
government were in excellent condition, having been fent to Toon-
gabbe, where they had met with better food and more care than
elfewhere. The prefervation o f thefe animals was an objedt o f the
greateft importance, as, independent o f the large fums o f money
with which they had been purchafed, their utility as a ftock both
for prefent labour, and future confumption, was incalculable.
Several of the fettlers having laft year had occafion, from the
failure o f the preceding crop, to borrow feed for fowing their ground
again with wheat, an order wasiffued on the 2 1 f t , reminding thofe
fettlers who had received this affiftance from government, that it
was expedited they would, out o f their firft crops, pay this debt,
and take up the receipts which they had given. That i f any evafion
fliould be attempted, or any delay made in the payment, fuch fteps
as the law pointed out would be taken againft them, and the defaulters
marked as undeferving o f the aid o f government on any future
occafion ; and, what was calculated to meet a trick which fome o f
them had played, they were finally informed, that i f any among
them, in contemplation o f getting rid o f the debt, had fold their
farms fince receiving the grain from government, the land would
ftill be confidered as the debtor, and the purchafer refponfible for the
payment.
The favage inhabitants o f the country, inftead o f lofing any part
o f their native ferocity o f manners by an intercourfe with the Europeans
among whom they dwelt, feemed rather to delight in exhibiting
D e c e m b e r . ] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. t j
ing themfelves as monfters o f the greateft cruelty, devoid of reafon,
and guided folely by the impulfe o f the worft paflions.
Toward the latter end o f the month, the governor received information,
that a little native girl, between fix and feven years o f age,
who for fome time had lived at the governor s houfe, had been moft
inhumanly murdered by two o f her favage countrymen. The
father and mother o f this child belonged to a party of natives who
had committed fo many depredations upon the fettlers at the
Hawkefbury, attended with fuch a&s o f cruelty as to render them
extremely formidable : infomuch that it became neceffary to fend
an armed party in purfuit o f them. They were foon found, and,
being fired upon, the father and mother o f this little female were
among thofe who fell. She was with them at the time, and readily
accompanied our people to the fettlement, where Ihe was received ;
and, being a well difpofed child, foon became a great favourite with
her protestors. This, and her being a native of the country near
Broken-Bay, excited the jealoufy of fome o f the natives who lived at
and about Sydney, which manifefted itfelf in their putting her to
death in the moft cruel manner. The body was found in the woods
near the governor’s houfe, fpeared in feveral places, and with both
the armB cut o ff; whence it was brought in and buried.
No other conjeSure could be formed o f this atrocious act than
what has been already mentioned. As fhe belonged to a tribe o f
natives that was hoftile to the Sydney people, they could not admit
o f her partaking in thofe pleafures and comforts which they derived
from their refidence among the colonifts, and therefore inhumanly put
her out o f the way. The governor was very much incenfed at this
proceeding ; and, could he have found the offenders, would have
moft feverely punifhed them ; but they had immediately withdrawn
into the woods.
Among the public works in hand during this month muft be
mentioned, the laying of the laft ftone o f the windmill tower at Sydney