that he was
impatient of indignity, and allowed of no superiority on our part. He knew
that he was in our power; but the independence of his mind never forsook
him. If the slightest insult were offered to him, he would return it with
interest. At retaliation of merriment he was often happy; and frequently
turned the laugh against his antagonist. He did not want docility;
but either from the difficulty of acquiring our language, from the
unskillfulness of his teachers, or from some natural defect, his progress
in learning it was not equal to what we had expected. For the last three
or four weeks of his life, hardly any restraint was laid upon his
inclinations: so that had he meditated escape, he might easily have
effected it. He was, perhaps, the only native who was ever attached to us
from choice; and who did not prefer a precarious subsistence among wilds
and precipices, to the comforts of a civilized system.

By his death, the scheme which had invited his capture was utterly
defeated. Of five natives who had been brought among us, three had perished
from a cause which, though unavoidable, it was impossible to explain to a
people, who would condescend to enter into no intercourse with us. The same
suspicious dread of our approach, and the same scenes of vengeance acted on
unfortunate stragglers, continued to prevail.

CHAPTER V.

Transactions of the Colony until the Close of the Year 1789.

The anniversary of his majesty's birth-day was celebrated, as heretofore,
at the government-house, with loyal festivity. In the evening, the play of
'The Recruiting Officer' was performed by a party of convicts, and honoured
by the presence of his excellency, and the officers of the garrison.
That every opportunity of escape from the dreariness and dejection of
our situation should be eagerly embraced, will not be wondered at. The
exhilarating effect of a splendid theatre is well known: and I am not
ashamed to confess, that the proper distribution of three or four yards of
stained paper, and a dozen farthing candles stuck around the mud walls of a
convict-hut, failed not to diffuse general complacency on the countenances
of sixty persons, of various descriptions, who were assembled to applaud
the representation. Some of the actors acquitted themselves with great
spirit, and received the praises of the audience: a prologue and an
epilogue, written by one of the performers, were also spoken on the
occasion; which, altho