Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/466

352 NATIVES REFUSE TO COME IN. 1788 tants. Nothing but the uncertainty of the time in which mj 80 October, letters may reach England, and the possibility of those last written being the first received, would make me trouble your lordship in ' this letter with a repetition of what I have fully explained in my former letters : That people who are not convicts are necessary store- for the stores, from which provisions or stores are delivering almost 1^^." hourly ; and that we want for superintending the convicts such as tendenta. j^^ve been brought up in the line in which they are to be employed. If the ships that bring out provisions were such as could receive on board black cattle at the Cape of Gk>od Hope, I think we shall in future be able to preserve them ; and a ship to remain here as a store-ship would be attended with many advantages. It is still a doubt whether the cattle we lost have been killed by the natives, or if they have strayed into the country; I fear the former, Natives and am sorry to say that the natives now attack any straggler thej stragglers, meet unarmed ; and though the strictest orders have been given to keep the convicts within bounds, neither the fear of death or punishment prevents their going out in the night, and one has been killed since the Sirius sailed. The natives, who appear strictly honest amongst themselves, leave their iizgigs, spears, &c., on the beach or in their huts when they go a-fishing. These articles have been taken from them by the convicts, and the people belonging to the transports buy them at the risk of being pro- Reason why. secuted as receivers of stolen goods, if discovered. The natives, as I have observed, revenge themselves on any they meet un- armed. It is not possible to punish them without punishing the innocent with the guilty, and our own people have been the aggressors. NaUves The natives still refuse to come amongst us, and those who are come in. Supposed to have murdered several of the convicts have removed from Botany Bay, where they have always been more troublesome than in any other part. I now doubt whether it will be possible to get any of these people, to remain with us, in order to get their language, without using force. They see no advantage that can arise from us that may make amends for the loss of that part Reason why. of the harbour in which we occasionally employ the boats in fishing. The officers If my former letters have reached your lordship the situation oonvicis. of this settlement is known; and as most of the 'officers have declined any kind of interference with the convicts, except when Digitized by VjOOQIC