C H A P . X.
PE-MUL-WY.— STRANGE IDEA' R E SP EC T IN G H IM .— C IV IL COURT MEETS ;
N A T U R E OF TH E BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE IT . ----AD V IC E OF TH E
GOVERNOR TO THE- S E T T E E R S .— TH E FRANCIS- RETURNS^ FROM PR E SERV
A TION ISLAN D .----A T R U S T Y PERSON SENT TO LOOK FOR A SA L T
H IL L SAID TO BE TO THE WESTWARD.----THE WILD C A T T L E SE EN .— A
NEW ANIMAL^ THÉ WOM-BAT, FOUND ; DESCR IB ED .— SOME IR ISH
RUN-AW A Y S G IV E THEMSELVES U P .----A S E IZU R E MADE OF T IM B E R
FOR GOV ERNMEN T.— T R A N SA C T IO N S .— W E A TH E R .— A P R I L . ----TH E C R I M
IN A L COURT M E E T S .— THREE" MEN E X E C U T ED .— R E F L E C T IO N S .— A C C
ID EN T S AMONG TH E STO C K .----DISCOVERIES PRO SECUT ED.----S E T T L E R S
AN D TH E IR COMPLAINTS.----AN OLD WOMAN ACCUSED OF DREAMIN
G .— WORKS IN H AN D .— W EA TH E R .
March. A S T R A N G E idea was found to prevail among the natives
refpediing the favage Pe-mul-wy, which was very likely to
prove fatal to him in the end. Both he and they entertained an
opinion, that, from his having been frequently wounded, he could
not be killed by our fire-arms. Through this fancied fecurity, he was
faid to be at the head of every party that attacked the maize grounds ;
and it certainly became expedient to convince them both that he
was not endowed with any fuch extraordinary exemption.
On the 5th, the court o f civil judicature was held at Parramatta.
Several writs were iffued, and profecutions for debt entered ; and
on the 7th the court adjourned until the 19th. On that day it
met, and continued fitting until the 24th, when all the bufinefs
before them was concluded. This confifted chiefly o f litigation
about debts contracted between the retail dealers and the fettlers.
As a proof to what a height this bufinefs had reached, it need
only be mentioned, that an appeal was made to the governor in one
profecution for a debt o f 868 1. i6r. \o d . ; which appeal was however
withdrawn, the defendant confenting to pay the debt.
The governor, having received from the fettlers in each diftrift,
through the medium of the two gentlemen whom he fent amongfl:
them for that purpofe (the Rev. Mr. Marfden, and Mr. Arndell), a
clear and correCt ffatement o f their grievances and diftrefles, informed
them, that it was with real concern he beheld the effects of
the meeting o f each civil court, which, for the public accommodation,
he from time to time had occafion to aflemble. The vaft
load o f debt with which they fo frequently felt- themfelves-bur-
thened, through the irnpofition and extortion o f the multitude of
petty dealers by whom the colony was fo much troubled, with the
difficulties under which the induftrious man laboured for want of
fome other mode o f providing the neceflaries which he required,
were grievances o f which he was determined to get the better; and,
as far as his fituation would authorize him, he would adopt every
means in his power to afford them relief. To this end he found it
abfoluteiy neceffary to fupprefs many o f thofe lkenfed public houfes
which, when firft permitted, were defigned as a convenience to
the labouring people; but which he now faw were the principal
caufe whence many had candidly confeffed their ruin to have
fprung.
He wifhed it were poflible to diffuade them from heaping fuch
heavy debts upon themfelves by the enjoyment o f articles which
they could do without, or by throwing away their money in pur-
chafing, at every public auction, rags and trifles for which fuch exorbitant
fums were exacted. He urged them, with a paternal
anxiety, to confider, that their folly involved their whole families
in ruin and misfortune, and conjured them to wait with patience
the refult o f fome reprefentations which he had made to government,
as well in. their behalf, as. in behalf of the fettlers upon Norfolk
Iflaud; by which he hoped that ere long they would have an
vol. 11. - o oppor