age
boats connected the banks of the Derwent; a civil court for the recovery
of debts, not exceeding L50, was established. A newspaper--a second time
attempted in 1814 without success, when the commercial strength of the
community was indicated by two or three advertisements--was at length
published under better auspices. On the 1st June, 1816, Mr. Andrew Bent
issued the first number of the _Hobart Town Gazette and Southern
Reporter_, and thus brought into permanent action an agency which has
promoted as well as recorded the advancement of the community. Nor can
it be recollected without regret, that he, an undoubted benefactor of
the colony, is left to an indigent old age, cut off from the prosperity
to which his early labors contributed.

The welfare of Van Diemen's Land was greatly retarded by the number,
daring, and prolonged depredations of the bushrangers. In some
districts, the inhabitants offered a sanctuary to criminals, and, as
their scouts, gave notice of the approach of danger; while in others the
settlers were driven before them. To check their ravages, Colonel Davey
declared the whole colony under martial law: he punished with flogging
persons, whether free or bond, who quitted their houses by night.
Several offenders were captured, and suffered death.[76] The
inhabitants, to the number of six hundred, expressed their approval of
this stretch of power, but it was promptly disallowed by the
governor-in-chief. On many previous occasions the same course had been
pursued. To constitutional law, the lieutenant-governor was both
indifferent and a stranger.

Colonel Davey, when he relinquished his office, remained for some time
as a settler; he was not, however, successful. He returned to England,
where he died on the 2nd May, 1823. His contemporaries speak of his
character in terms of eulogy. The modern colonist will remember, that
the tastes of society have since that period been modified, even in
Great Britain; and that character can never be fairly judged when
separated from the circumstances in which it is developed. Then, the
town was a mere camp: the etiquette of office, necessary when a
community is advanced, would be folly in its infancy.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 73: Collins, according to most authorities, died on the 24th
March, 1810.]

[Footnote 74:

"_To his Excellency_ LACHLAN MACQUARIE, ESQ., _Captain-General
and Commander-in-chief of his Majesty's Territory of New South
Wales and its Depende