Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/352

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Kinf^ replieil: '*I am much conctirned at the iinforfcunate event of the party at PtiBtloii Cove heing compelled to fire on the natives, but I hope the measures you had m contempla- tion to p:ain tlieir cnufidenca have succeeded/' It was idle for the Governor to express such hope, aurl wrong not to ULisist upon II seurcliiu}:^ iutjuiry. The fact that auy young child was with the natives when they were shot sulfieiently proved their peaceful intentions. When prepared for an attack it was ever their custom to place their women and children in remote safety. After such Avanton treatment it would have heen hard to create friendly relations. Collins, a few days after the massacre, sent some )uen to collect I oysters, A Imnd of natives attacked them with *'stones| and clubs/' and drove them back to Hobart Town. Con- fidence was never restored. The natives were not again | seen in large numbei'S, but when found in the forest were maltreated, or killed, in spiteof the protests of the incapable Governor. Collins praised, rather than blamed the manner m which I at Sydney, Grose and officers transgressed instructions by granting favours to military officers. He asked King to I sanction similar disobedience at Hobart Town, He wished to grant lands. Iving tobl him (Bth Jan. 1805)— " Von arc BvilliLiL-iitly iie<jiiainte<l with every oireumatanoe on that head from thia colony heing stittled niitil niy tHkiiig tbe government. , previous to Colonel Pateraoii a leaviijg knglaiid he hatl tlirectiotia that the officers of the eorps were not to enter into n,ny agricaltural or other | pnranit that might interfere with their military (uty. On a representa- tion of the military otficera to H.H.H., the Commander-iii-( •hiei, stating H the necessity of their having some means to snpply tlie wants of their | familieii, and requesting to he pernntted to uootinne the cultivation of their farms. Colonel Paterson mformed me that the Dnke of Yfirk iiad no objection to their eontinuing their ohjectt Ijiit on express injunction not to enter into auy trathc-'* Officers in New South Wales having always heeu per-] mitted to cultivate for their ** domestic use and comfort.* King saw ** no just reason" why those under Collins should be ** excluded from the accommodation," and for such por- tions of land as Collins might recommend, not exceeding 100 acres to each ofUcer, King would transmit grants **aaj early as possihle after the descriptions are received/' While the garrulous and phant Collms was at Port PbiUip, one of the Irish convicts had written thence a