that unless they were detected in the fact, it was generally next to
impossible to bring an offence home to them. As there was, however,
little doubt, though no positive proof of their guilt, they were removed
from the hospital, and placed under the direction of the officer who was
then employed in constructing a small redoubt on the east side.

The natives, who had been accustomed to assist our people in hauling the
seine, and were content to wait for such reward as the person who had the
direction of the boat thought proper to give them, either driven by
hunger, or moved by some other cause, came down to the cove where they
were fishing, and, perceiving that they had been more successful than
usual, took by force about half of what had been brought on shore. They
were all armed with spears and other weapons, and made their attack with
some show of method, having a party stationed in the rear with their
spears poised, in readiness to throw, if any resistance had been made. To
prevent this in future, it was ordered that a petty officer should go in
the boats whenever they were sent down the harbour.

No precautions, however, that could be taken, or orders that were given,
to prevent accidents happening by misconduct on our part, had any weight
with the convicts. On the evening of the 27th one of them was brought in
wounded by the natives. He had left the encampment with another convict,
to gather vegetables, and, contrary to the orders which had been
repeatedly given, went nearly as far as Botany Bay, where they fell in
with a party of the natives, who made signs to them to go back, which
they did, but unfortunately ran different ways. This being observed by
the natives, they threw their spears at them. One of them was fortunate
enough to escape unhurt, but the other received two spears in him, one
entering a little above his left ear, the other in his breast. He took to
an arm of the bay, which, notwithstanding his wounds, he swam across, and
reported that the natives stood on the bank laughing at him.

Much credit, indeed, was not to be given to any of their accounts; but it
must be remarked, that every accident that had happened was occasioned by
a breach of positive orders repeatedly given.

Still, notwithstanding this appearance of hostility in some of the
natives, others were more friendly. In one of the adjoining coves resided
a family of them, who were visited by large parties of the convicts of
both sexes on