The weather was so intensely hot on the 27th of December, that the thermometer stood at 102 deg. in the shade.

Chapter XX

TRANSACTIONS AT PORT JACKSON

December 1790 to February 1791

-The depredations of the natives.—­Bannelong’s behaviour.—­The Supply sails for Norfolk-Island.—­The quantity of provisions brought in the Waaksam-heid from Batavia.—­The appearance of a prodigious number of Bats.—­The return of Bannelong.—­The manners of the natives further described.-

Several of the natives who had been pretty constant visitors at Sydney for some weeks, were detected stealing potatoes on the 28th of December; and, on the person they belonged to, endeavouring to drive them out of his garden, a fiz-gig was thrown at him.

These people had lately made a practice of threatening any person whom they found in a hut alone, unless bread was given to them; and one of those who were suspected in the present instance, had, on several occasions, shown himself to be a daring fellow, who did not seem to dread any consequences.  As it was necessary to prevent these depredations in future, a serjeant and six privates were sent out in order to secure the three natives who had been digging up the potatoes, and particularly the man who threw the fiz-gig; but not to fire on them, unless they made use of their spears or other offensive weapons.

Governor Phillip, accompanied by two or three officers, followed the party to a place where the natives had retired and made a fire; at which, the serjeant, who arrived there a few minutes before, found two men, one of whom he laid hold of, and the other was seized by the surgeon’s mate of the Sirius, who went with the party, as he knew the men they were in search of:  both these men, however, got away; and a club, which at first was taken for a spear, being thrown by one of them, three musquets were fired.  Two women and a child were found at the fire, but as it was then dark, it was in vain to look for the two men, though one of them was supposed to be wounded.  The women were brought away, together with several sticks, which the natives use for digging roots, and some other articles, in order to learn more fully who were the aggressors.

The women, though alarmed at first, yet, when they got to Governor Phillip’s house, appeared under no concern, but slept that night in a shed in the yard, as much at their ease as if nothing had happened; though it was impossible for them to know that the men fired at were not killed; and one of them was husband to one of the women:  the other woman was she who had been left at the governor’s house, when her husband took away a former wife.

The fiz-gig, which had been thrown at the man in the garden, being shown to these women, they said it belonged to a native who has already been noticed as a daring fellow; indeed he was so much so, that though Governor Phillip thought it necessary to watch for an opportunity of checking his insolence, he could not but admire his spirit.  Some bread and fish being given to the women the next morning, they went away, well pleased with their reception.