escape, but it was effected by the chief a fortnight aft^r ho was taken. . . ♦ The other reirmina ; he liveii with nie, and every possible means are used to reconcile hhii to ua, in whii^h I make no doubt but that we fthall succeed." ** Your lordship has been iafomied that some of the convicts have been killed and wound&d by the oatives ; but that has, 1 believe, never happened but when the convicts have been the aggressors, I have always found them friendly » and still retain (Feb. ITfl'O) the opinion I first formed of those people. That they do not betray a confadence placed in them I have reason to believe^ from their never having attempted to take that advantage which they might have done from the conrtdeoce which has been frequently placed in them by myself and those who have been with me in the different excursions » and from the confidence some of them have placed in us, nor do I believe they would ever have been hostile but from having been ill-used and robbcil, which has been the caae though
every precaution that was possible has been taken to prevent it."
Later (June 1790) he wrote that the natives were not dangerous; they do not *'*waiit iimate bravery/ hut are sensible of the great superiority of oiu^ arms. . . . People go out to rob the natives of their spears and the few articles thej possess, and as they do it too freqtiently with impunity the punishments they sometimes meet with are not to be regretted. They have had a good effect." , The manner in winch the two natives were aeized in Nov. 1789 was told by Captain Hunter. An armed boat's crew, espying two natives on the beach at the north part of the ^ harbour, enticed them by holding up liah : "The men with much coulidence came forward unarmed, and with much J. cheerfulness received the tish. At tbia timt^ there were about five of our people on the beacli, and the !>oat lying aHoat with her stern close to the shore, and the sailors lying on their <mrs. Mr. Bradley, who was in the stem of the boat, Sreeing the opporttmity good, gave the signal for Becuring them ; in a moment their heels were knocked up and they were tumbled into the boat, foUowed by those who secured them, and the boat E immediately pulled off. They called out to their friends the moment they were taken hold of, but though a coueiderabl© number appeared in the ckirt of the wood, on seeing arms in the bands of those in the boat, who Stood up ready to fire, they did not venture an attack. One of these natives was Bennilong, who became a fast friend to Phillip. The other, after seventeen days, escaped with an activity which surprised his gaolers. The two native children were overjoyed at the sight of their country- men, who now far the first time knew of the welfare of the children — no natives having visited the settlement, and the death of Arabaiioo having frustrated the hope of inter- course by hiB means. Now also the kind treatment shown to the children was useful in conciliating Beiimlciti^, ^oorti J 2
