After this business was over, most of them returned and sat down in the yard at the back of Governor Phillip’s house; but Bannelong went into the house as usual, and finding the governor writing, sat down by him:  he appeared very much out of humour, and frequently said that he was going to beat a woman with a hatchet which he held in his hand:  it was impossible to persuade him to say he would not beat her, and after some time he got up, saying that he could not dine with the governor, as he was going to beat the woman.

Governor Phillip then insisted on going with him, to which he made no objection, though he was given to understand that he would not be suffered to beat any woman, and they set off for his hut at the point.  The governor took his orderly serjeant along with him, and they were joined by the judge advocate.

Though Bannelong had frequently said he would kill the woman, when Governor Phillip was endeavouring to persuade him not to beat her, yet, it could not be believed that he had any such intention; nor did they suppose there would be much trouble in preventing his beating her; however, fearing he might strike her a blow with the hatchet which must have been fatal, it was taken from him before they got to the hut, and as he seemed unwilling to part with it, the governor gave him his cane; but his expressions and his countenance soon made them think even the cane too much for him to be trusted with, and that was taken from him also.

On their arrival at the hut, they found five men, two youths, and several women and children:  some of these people were on the grass before the door of the hut, and though the governor fixed his eyes on Bannelong, in order to find out the object of his revenge, and whom he determined to protect, yet this furious savage seized a wooden sword, and struck a young female, who was either asleep, or seeing him coming had hid her face, over the head, and repeated his blow before the weapon could be wrested from him; he then got a hatchet, which was likewise taken away.

Reasoning with him was now out of the question; the savage fury which took possession of him when he found himself kept from the girl, who was lying senseless, is not to be described:  he had now got another wooden sword, but the judge-advocate and the serjeant held him, and what passed being observed from the Supply, Lieutenant Ball and the surgeon of the hospital, came over to the spot armed, and the poor girl was put into the boat without any opposition on the part of the natives, who had armed themselves the moment they saw Governor Phillip and his party interfere, and one of them repeatedly pressed him to give Bannelong the hatchets and sword which had been taken from him.

None of these people, either men or women, (the two youths excepted, who appeared to be much frightened,) showed the least concern at the girl’s fate, though they must have known, that Bannelong intended to kill her, and they certainly armed in his defence.