. The people at the northern farms had been repeatedly plundered
of their provisions and clothing by a large body of savages, who had also
recently killed a man and a woman. Exasperated at such cruel and wanton
conduct, they armed themselves, and, after pursuing them a whole night,
at sun-rise in the morning came up with a party of more than a hundred,
who fled immediately on discovering that their pursuers were armed,
leaving behind them a quantity of Indian corn, some musket balls, and
other things of which the soldiers had been plundered. They continued to
follow, and traced them as far as the outskirts of Parramatta. Being
fatigued with their march, they entered the town, and in about an hour
after were followed by a large body of natives, headed by Pe-mul-wy, a
riotous and troublesome savage. These were known by the settlers to be
the same who had so frequently annoyed them; and they intended, if
possible, to seize upon Pe-mul-wy; who, in a great rage, threatened to
spear the first man that dared to approach him, and actually did throw a
spear at one of the soldiers. The conflict was now begun; a musket was
immediately levelled at the principal, which severely wounded him. Many
spears were then thrown, and one man was hit in the arm; upon which the
superior effect of our fire-arms was immediately shown them, and five
were instantly killed.

However unpleasant it was to the governor, that the lives of so many of
these people should have been taken, no other course could possibly be
pursued; for it was their custom, when they found themselves more
numerous and better armed than the white people, to demand with insolence
whatever they wanted; and, if refused, to have recourse to murder. This
check, it was hoped, would have a good effect; and Pe-mul-wy, who had
received seven buck shot in his head and different parts of his body, was
taken extremely ill to the hospital. This man was first known in the
settlement by the murder of* John McIntire in the year 1790; since which
he had been a most active enemy to the settlers, plundering them of their
property, and endangering their personal safety.

[* Vide Vol I Ch. XI viz: 'On the 10th, John McIntire, a convict
who was employed by the governor to shoot for him, was dangerously
wounded by a native named Pe-mul-wy, while in quest of game in
the woods at some considerable distance from the settlement. When
brought in he declared, and at a time when he thought himself dying,