of the transports left us for England on the 19th of November,
intending to make their passage by Cape Horn. There now remained with us
only the 'Supply'. Sequestered and cut off as we were from the rest of
civilized nature, their absence carried the effect of desolation. About
this time a convict, of the name of Daly, was hanged, for a burglary:
this culprit, who was a notorious thief and impostor, was the author of a
discovery of a gold mine, a few months before: a composition resembling
ore mingled with earth, which he pretended to have brought from it, he
produced. After a number of attendant circumstances, too ludicrous and
contemptible to relate, which befell a party, who were sent under his
guidance to explore this second Peru, he at last confessed, that he had
broken up an old pair of buckles, and mixed the pieces with sand and stone;
and on assaying the composition, the brass was detected. The fate of this
fellow I should not deem worth recording, did it not lead to the following
observation, that the utmost circumspection is necessary to prevent
imposition, in those who give accounts of what they see in unknown
countries. We found the convicts particularly happy in fertility of
invention, and exaggerated descriptions. Hence large fresh water rivers,
valuable ores, and quarries of limestone, chalk, and marble, were daily
proclaimed soon after we had landed. At first we hearkened with avidity
to such accounts; but perpetual disappointments taught us to listen with
caution, and to believe from demonstration only.

Unabated animosity continued to prevail between the natives and us:
in addition to former losses, a soldier and several convicts suddenly
disappeared, and were never afterwards heard of. Three convicts were also
wounded, and one killed by them, near Botany Bay: similar to the vindictive
spirit which Mr. Cook found to exist among their countrymen at Endeavour
River, they more than once attempted to set fire to combustible matter, in
order to annoy us. Early on the morning of the 18th of December, word was
brought that they were assembled in force, near the brick-kilns, which
stand but a mile from the town of Sydney. The terror of those who brought
the first intelligence magnified the number to two thousand; a second
messenger diminished it to four hundred. A detachment, under the command
of an officer was ordered to march immediately, and reconnoitre them. The
officer soon returned, and reported, that abou