for the firft time, announced the hour to the inhabitants at Sydney.
The fhipwrights were employed in conftruding a flat-bottomed vef-
fel for the carriage of planks, pofts, &c.
Some heavy rain fell in this month, which for the time retarded
all out-door work; but it came very opportunely for the
maize, the growth of which had been rather obftruded by the dry
weather which preceded.
CHAP.
C H A P . IX .
■ THE F R A N C IS A G A IN SAIL S FOR THB W R E C K .— BEN -N IL-LON G AN D HIS
W IF E .— REPORT RE SP EC T IN G TH E WILD C A T T L E .— AN ANONYMOUS
W R IT IN G FOUND.— ACCOUNT OF A JO U RN E Y TO TH E WESTWARD.----
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW B IR D .— A G EN E R A L M U ST ER .----M R. BASS R E TU
RN S FROM AN EXCURSION IN AN OPEN BOAT TO THE SOUTHWARD.—
P A R T IC U L A R S OF IT . ----TH R E E IR ISHM EN P IC K ED U P .— PU BLIC WORKS.—
W EA TH E R IN F E B R U A R Y .
February.] O N the ift o f this month the Francis was again dispatched
to the wreck o f the Sydney-cove.
When Ben-nil-long accompanied Governor Philip to England in
the year 179 2 , he left a young wife to deplore his abfence. The
manners o f favages, in this inftance, were found fomewhat to re-
femble thofe of civilized life. The lady furrendered to the importunities
o f a youthful lover, who, to fay the truth, had in fome
material points the advantage over Ben-nil-long ; and o f him fhe
became fo enamoured, that neither the entreaties, the menaces, nor
the prefents * o f her hufband at his return, could induce her to
leave him. From that time, fhe was confidered by every one,
Ben-nil-long excepted, as the wife o f Ca-ru-ay. He, finding him-
felf negledled by other females whofe fmiles he courted (after the
fafhion o f his country indeed), fometimes fought to balance the mortification
by the forced embraces of his w ife ; but, her fcreams
generally bringing her lover or a friend to her affiftance, he was
not often fuccefsful. In one o f thefe attempts, at this time, he
came off with a fevere wound in the head, the lady and her lover
laughing at the rage which it occafioned.
* Vide V ol. I . p. 440.
IQ The