ke it
whenever and wherever they could meet with opportunities. In their
attacks they conducted themselves with much art; but where that failed
they had recourse to force, and on the least appearance of resistance
made use of their spears or clubs. To check at once, if possible, these
dangerous depredators, Captain Paterson directed a party of the corps to
be sent from Parramatta, with instructions to destroy as many as they
could meet with of the wood tribe (Be-dia-gal); and, in the hope of
striking terror, to erect gibbets in different places, whereon the bodies
of all they might kill were to be hung. It was reported, that several of
these people were killed in consequence of this order; but none of their
bodies being found, (perhaps if any were killed they were carried off by
their companions,) the number could not be ascertained. Some prisoners
however were taken, and sent to Sydney; one man, (apparently a cripple,)
five women, and some children. One of the women, with a child at her
breast, had been shot through the shoulder, and the same shot had wounded
the babe. They were immediately placed in a hut near our hospital, and
every care taken of them that humanity suggested. The man was said,
instead of being a cripple, to have been very active about the farms, and
instrumental in some of the murders which had been committed. In a short
time he found means to escape, and by swimming reached the north shore in
safety; whence, no doubt, he got back to his friends. Captain Paterson
hoped, by detaining the prisoners and treating them well, that some good
effect might result; but finding, after some time, that coercion, not
attention, was more likely to answer his ends, he sent the women back.
While they were with us, the wounded child died, and one of the women was
delivered of a boy, which died immediately. On our withdrawing the party,
the natives attacked a farm nearly opposite Richmond Hill, belonging to
one William Rowe, and put him and a very fine child to death, the wife,
after receiving several wounds, crawled down the bank, and concealed
herself among some reeds half immersed in the river, where she remained a
considerable time without assistance: being at length found, this poor
creature, after having seen her husband and her child slaughtered before
her eyes, was brought into the hospital at Parramatta, where she
recovered, though slowly, of her wounds. In consequence of this horrid
circumstance, another party