A Boat Was Immediately Dispatched After Him, And Picked Him Up,
Though Not Without Struggles And Resistance On His Side.
When brought
on board, he appeared neither afraid or ashamed of what he had done,
but sat apart, melancholy and dispirited, and continued so until he saw
the governor and his other friends descend into a boat, and heard himself
called upon to accompany them:
He sprang forward, and his cheerfulness
and alacrity of temper immediately returned, and lasted during the remainder
of the day. The dread of being carried away, on an element of whose boundary
he could form no conception, joined to the uncertainty of our intention
towards him, unquestionably caused him to act as he did.
One of the principal effects which we had supposed the seizure and captivity
of Arabanoo would produce, seemed yet at as great a distance as ever;
the natives neither manifested signs of increased hostility on his account,
or attempted to ask any explanation of our conduct through the medium
of their countryman who was in our possession, and who they knew was treated
with no farther harshness than in being detained among us. Their forbearance
of open and determined attack upon can be accounted for only by recollecting
their knowledge of our numbers, and their dread of our fire-arms:
that they wanted not sufficient provocation to do so, will appear from what
I am about to relate.
March, 1789. Sixteen convicts left their work at the brick-kilns
without leave, and marched to Botany Bay, with a design to attack the natives,
and to plunder them of their fishing-tackle and spears: they had armed
themselves with their working tools and large clubs. When they arrived
near the bay, a body of Indians, who had probably seen them set out,
and had penetrated their intention from experience, suddenly fell upon them.
Our heroes were immediately routed, and separately endeavoured to effect
their escape by any means which were left. In their flight one was killed,
and seven were wounded, for the most part very severely: those who had
the good fortune to outstrip their comrades and arrive in camp, first gave
the alarm; and a detachment of marines, under an officer, was ordered
to march to their relief. The officer arrived too late to repel the Indians;
but he brought in the body of the man that was killed, and put an end
to the pursuit. The governor was justly incensed at what had happened,
and instituted the most rigorous scrutiny into the cause which had produced it.
At first the convicts were unanimous in affirming, that they were
quietly picking sweet-tea*, when they were without provocation assaulted
by the natives, with whom they had no wish to quarrel. Some of them, however,
more irresolute than the rest, at last disclosed the purpose for which
the expedition had been undertaken; and the whole were ordered to be
severely flogged: Arabanoo was present at the infliction of the punishment;
and was made to comprehend the cause and the necessity of it; but he displayed
on the occasion symptoms of disgust and terror only.
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