The Spear Had Passed Between Two Ribs, And Had Wounded
The Left Lobe Of The Lungs.
He lingered* until the 20th of January, and then
expired.
On opening the corpse, it was found that the left lung had perished
from suppuration, its remains adhering to the ribs. Some pieces of stone,
which had dropped from the spear were seen, but no barb of wood.
[*From the aversion uniformly shown by all the natives to this unhappy man,
he had long been suspected by us of having in his excursions, shot and injured
them. To gain information on this head from him, the moment of contrition
was seized. On being questioned with great seriousness, he, however,
declared that he had never fired but once on a native, and then had not killed,
but severely wounded him and this in his own defence. Notwithstanding
this death-bed confession, most people doubted the truth of the relation,
from his general character and other circumstances.]
The governor was at Rose-hill when this accident happened. On the day after
he returned to Sydney, the following order was issued:
Several tribes of the natives still continuing to throw
spears at any man they meet unarmed, by which several
have been killed, or dangerously wounded, the governor,
in order to deter the natives from such practices in
future, has ordered out a party to search for the man
who wounded the convict McEntire, in so dangerous a
manner on Friday last, though no offence was offered
on his part, in order to make a signal example of that
tribe. At the same time, the governor strictly forbids,
under penalty of the severest punishment, any soldier
or other person, not expressly ordered out for that
purpose, ever to fire on any native except in his own
defence; or to molest him in any shape, or to bring away
any spears, or other articles which they may find
belonging to those people. The natives will be made
severe examples of whenever any man is wounded by them;
but this will be done in a manner which may satisfy them
that it is a punishment inflicted on them for their own
bad conduct, and of which they cannot be made sensible
if they are not treated with kindness while they continue
peaceable and quiet.
A party, consisting of two captains, two subalterns,
and forty privates, with a proper number of non-commissioned
officers from the garrison, with three days provisions,
etc. are to be ready to march to-morrow morning at day-light,
in order to bring in six of those natives who reside near
the head of Botany Bay; or, if that should be found
impracticable, to put that number to death.
Just previous to this order being issued, the author of this publication
received a direction to attend the governor at head quarters immediately.
I went, and his excellency informed me that he had pitched upon me to execute
the foregoing command. He added that the two subalterns who were to be drawn
from the marine corps, should be chosen by myself; that the sergeant
and the two convicts who were with McEntire, should attend as guides;
that we were to proceed to the peninsula at the head of Botany Bay; and thence,
or from any part of the north arm of the bay, we were, if practicable,
to bring away two natives as prisoners; and to put to death ten; that we were
to destroy all weapons of war but nothing else; that no hut was to be burned;
that all women and children were to remain uninjured, not being comprehended
within the scope of the order; that our operations were to be directed
either by surprise or open force; that after we had made any prisoners,
all communication, even with those natives with whom we were in habits
of intercourse, was to be avoided, and none of them suffered to approach us.
That we were to cut off and bring in the heads of the slain; for which purpose
hatchets and bags would be furnished.
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