Page:Extracts from the letters and journals of George Fletcher Moore.djvu/194

 168 we had caught them, flagrante delicto—in the act of slaughtering them—I would not answer for the force of it.

We have very few soldiers to protect us; and if our men be employed in watching natives, what is to become of the colony? Our labours must then be intermitted:

We are informed that the military are not to be called out except in the case of a systematic attack. But suppose this to be made at the head of the Swan, and one of the soldiers to be sent to Perth for orders; it is scarcely possible that the soldiers could come out to the point of attack within twelve hours—and what is to become in the meantime of the family attacked? When I speak of the necessity of soldiers to protect us, I do not mean that we ourselves are in much personal danger; but our cattle are killed and taken away, if our servants are not continually watching them I have been congratulated on escaping from a spear thrown by the natives through the window. This was a second attack: the first occurred twelve months ago, and I believe that I mentioned it to you. This affair, you will say, has something of personal danger in it.