the affiftance of his friends, to take fome o f the convids who were
at large in the woods; two of whom had, juft before Wilfon’s appearance,
ftolen two mares, the property o f private individuals, but which
were allowed to be kept during the night in a {table belonging to government.
' Wilfon, among other article's o f information, mentioned, that
he had been upwards of too miles in every diredion round the
fettlement. In the courfe of his travelling he had noticed feveral
animals, which, from his defcription, had not been feen in any o f
the diftrids ; and to the north weft of the head of the-Hawkelbury,
he came upon a very extenfive trad o f open and well-watered
country, where he had feen a bird o f the pheafant fpecies, and a
quadruped, which he faid was larger than a dog, having its hind
parts thin, and bearing no proportion to the fhoulders, which were
ftrong and large.
It is not improbable, that Wilfon invented thefe circumftances
in the hope o f obtaining fome attention, and thereby averting, the pu-
nilhment which he expeded, and well knew that he had long deferved.
I f it be painful to the writer o f thefe fheets to find little etfe than
crimes and their confequences to record, how much more painful
muft it have been to have lived where they were daily committed.
Particularly fo muft it have proved to the gentleman who was in
the chief diredtion o f the fettlement, who found himfelf either
obliged to punilh with feverity, or to be fearful even o f admlniftering
juftice in mercy, left that mercy Ihould prove detrimental in the
end, by encouraging others to offend in the hope o f impunity..
There can fcarcely be recorded a ftronger inftanee o f human depravity,
than what the following circumftance, which happened in
this month, exhibits. A convidt, who had formerly been a fchool-
companion with the Rev. Mr. Johnfon, had been taken by that
gentleman into his fervice, where he repofed in him the utmoft
confidence, and treated, him. with the kindeft indulgence. He had
i not
not been long in his houfe before Mr- Johnfon was informed that
his: fervant, having taken an impreffion of the key of his ftore-
room in clay, had procured ©ne that would fit the lock. He fcarcely
credited the information^; but, being urged to furnilh him with
an opportunity, he confented that a conftable Ihould be concealed
in the houfe, on a Sunday, when all the family, this fervant excepted,
would: be attending divine fervice. The arrangement fuc-
eeeded but too: well. Concluding that all was fafe, he applied his-
key, and', entering the room, was proceeding without any remorfe
to plunder it of fuch articles as he wanted ; when the conftable,
feeing his prey within his toils, ftarted from his concealment, and
feized him in the aft o f taking the property.
Thus was this wretched being without “ one compundiouE vi-
« firing o f nature,” deteded in the ad of injuring the man, who,
in the better day of his profperity, had been the companion o f his
youth5, and who had ftretched out his hand to Ihelter him in. the pre-
fentf hour o f his adverfity L
The Deptford brig failing this month for the coaft o f Coromandel,,
the governor took the opportunity o f tranfmitting to Admiral Rainier,
oc the commander in chief o f his Majefty’s Ihips in the Eaft.
Indies, a lift o f the deferted convids, and a defcription o f the two
boats which had lately been taken from the colony. As it was, probably,
the intention o f thofe people to fleer along the coaft o f New-
South Wales to the northward, until they Ihould reach fome o f
the Dutch fettlements among the Molucca iflands, there was a pof-
fibility of their being picked up by fome of the King s cruizers; ini
the event of which, the governor forcibly urged their being forwarded,
by any. opportunity which might offer, to his government,
there to be made an example, that Ihould, i f poffible, deter
others from making the like attempts.
The widow o f Enfign Brock, who died in Ju ly laft,. availed*
herfelf of this opportunity to get, with her family, partly on her way
to England,
Although