Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/203

 who or what he was, he was informed that it was Bannister, a soldier who had been unruly in the theatre. Hearing that the soldier had been struck by a convict, King sent the convict to gaol, and dispersed the crowd. The soldiers on the island were nearly seventy in number, the other male inhabitants about ten times as numerous. Nevertheless, confident in their arms, twenty of the soldiers refused to obey their commanding officer, and it was only by firmness that he resisted their demand for the release of their comrade. They pledged themselves on the following morning by oath to allow no soldier to be punished for any offence against a convict.

The magistrates found the imprisoned convict guilty of striking the imprisoned soldier, but the evidence showed that the soldiers had mainly caused the affray. King did not order the sentence to be carried into execution. More serious work was in hand. Lt. Abbott informed him, on the morning after the play, of the mutiny at the barracks, and of the pledge by which the soldiers had bound themselves.

The magistrates, after inquiring into the disturbance at the theatre, reported that, "from the very contradictory evidence, it was not in their power to give a decided opinion on either side."

King thereupon consulted Abbott on the 21st January. To try a soldier by court-martial was useless, as the detachment was determined to prevent the infliction of any punishment. The Governor and Abbott agreed to disarm the detachment. King committed the resolution to writing, and entrusted Abbott with the duty of obtaining the opinion of the other officers. At one o'clock Abbott returned with their signatures of approval. By that time King had informed the five principal civil officers of the resolution, with which they also concurred.

Early on the 22nd a detachment of the mutineers, who still preserved a form of discipline, was sent to Phillip Island for wild-fowl feathers, and a part of the guard was sent on duty to Queensborough, a detached settlement. King assembled some of the settlers in his own house in case of need. At nine o'clock Abbott, with Ensign Piper, and Grimes the surveyor, took possession of the arms of