Encouraged By This Condescension, I Begged Leave
To Offer For Consideration Whether, Instead Of Destroying Ten Persons,
The Capture Of
Six would not better answer all the purposes for which
the expedition was to be undertaken; as out of this
Number, a part might
be set aside for retaliation; and the rest, at a proper time, liberated,
after having seen the fate of their comrades and being made sensible
of the cause of their own detention.
This scheme, his Excellency was pleased instantly to adopt, adding,
"if six cannot be taken, let this number be shot. Should you, however,
find it practicable to take so many, I will hang two and send the rest
to Norfolk Island for a certain period, which will cause their countrymen
to believe that we have dispatched them secretly." The order was accordingly
altered to its present form; and I took my leave to prepare, after being again
cautioned not to deceive by holding signals of amity.
At four o'clock on the morning of the 14th we marched The detachment
consisted, besides myself, of Captain Hill of the New South Wales Corps,
Lieutenants Poulder and Dawes, of the marines, Mr. Worgan and Mr. Lowes,
surgeons, three sergeants, three corporals, and forty private soldiers,
provided with three days provisions, ropes to bind our prisoners with,
and hatchets and bags to cut off and contain the heads of the slain.
By nine o'clock this terrific procession reached the peninsula at the head
of Botany Bay, but after having walked in various directions until four o'clock
in the afternoon, without seeing a native, we halted for the night.
At daylight on the following morning our search recommenced. We marched
in an easterly direction, intending to fall in with the south-west arm
of the bay, about three miles above its mouth, which we determined to scour,
and thence passing along the head of the peninsula, to proceed to
the north arm, and complete our Search. However, by a mistake of our guides,
at half past seven o'clock instead of finding ourselves on the south-west arm,
we came suddenly upon the sea shore, at the head of the peninsula,
about midway between the two arms. Here we saw five Indians on the beach,
whom we attempted to surround; but they penetrated our design, and before
we could get near enough to effect our purpose, ran off. We pursued;
but a contest between heavy-armed Europeans, fettered by ligatures,
and naked unencumbered Indians, was too unequal to last long. They darted
into the wood and disappeared.
The alarm being given, we were sensible that no hope of success remained,
but by a rapid movement to a little village (if five huts deserve the name)
which we knew stood on the nearest point of the north arm, where possibly
someone unapprised of our approach, might yet be found. Thither we hastened;
but before we could reach it three canoes, filled with Indians,
were seen paddling over in the utmost hurry and trepidation, to the opposite
shore, where universal alarm prevailed.
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