Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/504

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in New Zealand ; declaring Mi*. Kendal a resident magis- trate at the Bay of Islands ; and investing Eiiatara, Hongi, and Korokoro with power and authority to aid Kendal) Mac{|iiarie (Dec* 1814) announced in the Gazette his ieten- tion to form a school for the ahorigines. He wished to hold public conference with the tribes, and requested them to meet him at the market-place at Parramatta. All con- Btables were directed to acquaint the natives, who assembled in hirge numbers. It was determined to found a school, and children were handed over for tuition. The meeting at Parramatta became annual, and blankets were in after years distributed to the failing remnants of the tribes* Even after the meeting at Parramatta there remained a few Hofers among the natives, w^ho would not trust the Napoleon of the Soutli, and Macquarie outlawed them, offering £10 for their capture ** or destruction." Like a more ancient persecutor, he could say; ** Nil opus captwh, solam iHternccionem geutis Jin am hello fore.' ^ Not long after Macqiiarie'a conference there were hostiU- ties. One instance will show their nature. A score of the evicted lords of the aoil descended upon a farm at Bringelly, and carried off maize and other property. Seven white men crossed the Nepean on the following day to obtain vengeance. They had scarcely crossed the river when the natives darted from ambush, and disarmed every man before a shot could be fired. Two white men escaped unwounded* On the following day more farms were plundered ; the occupants flying at the approach of the marauders. A farmer's wife, who was in a barn, took refuge in a loft. A servant assisted in barring out the as- sailants, who were beginning to tear off the roof (composed of sheets of bark), when the servant recognized one of them, aud entreated tliem to show mercy. The prayer was granted* The blacks said, ** they w^ould not kill them this time"; and, as they departed, said ** good-bye" to the astonished whites. In March 1816 Macquarie reported that the mountain tribes had kilted five wdiite men. He would employ the military. In June he informed Lord Bathurst that he had 66DtiniUta>ry detachmeots '* either to apprehend or destroy" the natives at the Nepean » liB^^^V<ey%Wt^,^ivlthe Grose. I