Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/159

 escape, but it was effected by the chief a fortnight after he was taken. . . . The other remains; he lives with me, and every possible means are used to reconcile him to us, in which I make no doubt but that we shall succeed." "Your lordship has been informed that some of the convicts have been killed and wounded by the natives; but that has, 1 believe, never happened but when the convicts have been the aggressors. I have always found them friendly, and still retain (Feb. 1790) the opinion I first formed of those people. That they do not betray a confidence placed in them I have reason to believe, from their never having attempted to take that advantage which they might have done from the confidence which has been frequently placed in them by myself and those who have been with me in the different excursions, and from the confidence some of them have placed in us, nor do I believe they would ever have been hostile but from having been ill-used and robbed, which has been the case though every precaution that was possible has been taken to prevent it."

Later (June 1790) he wrote that the natives were not dangerous; they do not "'want innate bravery,' but are sensible of the great superiority of our arms. . . . People go out to rob the natives of their spears and the few articles they possess, and as they do it too frequently with impunity the punishments they sometimes meet with are not to be regretted. They have had a good effect." The manner in which the two natives were seized in Nov. 1789 was told by Captain Hunter. An armed boat's crew, espying two natives on the beach at the north part of the harbour, enticed them by holding up fish:

"The men with much confidence came forward unarmed, and with much cheerfulness received the fish. At this time there were about five of our people on the beach, and the boat lying afloat with her stern close to the shore, and the sailors lying on their oars. Mr. Bradley, who was in the stern of the boat, seeing the opportunity good, gave the signal for securing them; in a moment their heels were knocked up and they were tumbled into the boat, followed by those who secured them, and the boat immediately pulled off. They called out to their friends the moment they were taken hold of, but though a considerable number appeared in the skirt of the wood, on seeing arms in the hands of those in the boat, who stood up ready to fire, they did not venture an attack." One of these natives was Bennilong, who became a fast friend to Phillip. The other, after seventeen days, escaped with an activity which surprised his gaolers. The two native children were overjoyed at the sight of their countrymen, who now for the first time knew of the welfare of the children-no natives having visited the settlement, and the death of Arabanoo having frustrated the hope of inter- course by his means. Now also the kind treatment shown to the children was useful in conciliating Bennilong. Soon