saw him. This last outrage of his had rendered
him more hateful than any of his countrymen; and, as the natives who had
so constantly resided and received so many comforts in the settlement
were now afraid to appear in the town, believing that, like themselves,
we should punish all for the misconduct of one, it might rather be
expected that Bennillong could not be far from meeting that punishment
which he certainly provoked and merited.

During the time that Ye-ra-ni-be was alive, the attendance of the natives
who were then in the town was called to the performance of the ceremony
named Yoo-lahng Era-ba-diang, the particulars of which have been
described in the preceding* part of this account. The place of meeting at
this time was in the middle harbour; and the various exhibitions which
took place were not observed to differ from those of the preceding years.
The season of the year was the same, but not precisely the month, which
confirmed the conjecture of their not being influenced by any particular
motive in the choice of the month of February for the celebration of this
curious and peculiar ceremony.

[* Vide Appendix to Vol I.]

Bennillong, who assisted at it, returned without his wife, the lady
having been without much difficulty persuaded by her mother, whom she
accidentally met at the Yoo-lahng, to leave her husband, and return with
her to the place of her residence. Bennillong, notwithstanding the
European polish which he could at times assume, was by no means a
favourite with, or held in much estimation by the females of his own
complexion. If any unfortunate girl was seen to be in his train for any
time, she was well known to be actuated less by inclination than by the
fear of his exercising that right which the stronger always claimed the
privilege of possessing over the weaker sex.

The business of the settlement now reclaims our notice.

Some time in this month the house of John Mitcham, a settler in the
district of Concord, was attacked by three villains, and set on fire,
together with a stack of wheat, which he had just completed and secured
against the weather. This unfortunate man was indebted about L33 which
the contents of his wheat-stack would have paid off, but now, besides
being very much beaten, he had the world to begin again, with a load of
debt which this untoward accident would much increase. The man himself
knew not to what cause to attribute it; and he was as ignorant who were
his enem