me, but I cut him short by saying that if he spoke again I would
shoot him at once; I thus had the last speech and therefore, as a matter
of course, was in possession of the public favour: Peerat was
consequently hurried off by his friends, whilst myself, the young
prisoner, and two of the natives who had accompanied me, started on our
return for the settlement.

Although the affair had so far terminated well I was by no means sure
that Peerat might not after my departure induce the others to attempt a
rescue. I therefore hurried on to the spot where I had left my European
friend, but I only found a slip of paper on a tree, with the following
words on it: "Returned slowly to the settlement." We moved rapidly on
again and reached Albany without further adventure, and on our arrival I
lodged Dalbean in the jail.

January 24.

Peerat did not bring in his wives, and to all the solicitations which
were offered me on the part of the natives for the release of my little
prisoner I answered that, when Peerat's wives were brought in and given
over to the hands of justice, I would punish the boy and release him; but
if the other delinquents were not given up I should conceive it to be a
sign that the natives were not satisfied with my decision, and therefore
send the boy on to Swan River to be tried. I further added that, if
Peerat did not in the course of the next day appear with his wives, I
should cease to act as mediator, and taking a party of soldiers would go
out and apprehend him.

HIS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.

January 25.

This morning information was given me that little Dalbean had made an
attempt to break out of jail. I therefore went up to the jail with
another magistrate and found that the little fellow had yesterday, during
the absence of the turnkey, taken up a loose stone from the floor and had
battered a hole in the door with it. It evinced altogether more strength
and determination than one could have supposed such a boy to have been
endowed with. When I taxed him with it he stoutly denied it, asserting
that whilst he was asleep sorcerers from the north, who had a spite
against him, had entered the cell through some airholes in the wall and
had done this; and in spite of all our cross-questioning and charging him
with falsehood he still persisted in the same tale, and really appeared
to think that he could persuade us of the truth of the assertion. I told
him that it was his duty to have taken care that these s