ous of going away
that it was consented to: the next day she was seen naked in a
canoe, but she put on a petticoat before she joined the clergyman
and some others who went to visit her; she appeared to be pleased
with having her liberty, and the boy, Nanbarre, who was of the
party that went to see her, now wished to stay with the natives
all night; he was left behind, but the next morning he returned
to the surgeon, with whom he lived, and having fared but badly,
did not seem inclined to go to them again.

The very little rain, which had fallen since the latter end of
June, had destroyed all their hopes of good crops, and which they
had every reason to expect till the beginning of September: at
present, there was the appearance of rain, though it was feared,
that it would come too late to be of any great service to the
corn, though it might save the few vegetables they had in the
gardens which were parched up. Some rain fell on the 14th and
15th of October, but it was barely sufficient to refresh the
ground.

The natives now visited the settlement daily, and Bannelong,
who had not been there for several days, came early in the
morning of the 17th, but took leave of Governor Phillip after
breakfast, saying, that he was going a great way off, and would
return, with two young men who were with him, after three days:
there was reason to suppose that he was going to fight.

If the natives of this country be less civilised than the
inhabitants of the neighbouring islands, they are much honester;
for they very seldom attempt to take any thing by stealth; and,
it is certain, that when a thief is caught, they beat him to
death with sticks. On the 18th, Governor Phillip was informed,
that Colebe, with two little girls and two young men who had
before been at the settlement, were waiting at the next cove to
see him; on this, he went to the place: a hatchet was, as usual,
desired and given, and Colebe promised to come to dinner the next
day.

A convict had been missing some time, and was reported to have
been killed by the natives: those who could have given any
information of this man must have been with him, and consequently
expected punishment, if they were known, for having left their
huts contrary to orders; it was, therefore, impossible to fix the
report on any individual, and no information could be gained by
those who were sent to search the country for some miles round;
but two parties of the natives had been seen,