Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/307

 SIR K B. HAV'ES AND MARGAROT, 27^ Freemasons' meeting on board one of the French shipB." They hatl lists of the officers and men of the New South Wales Corps, whom they thought too few for defence. Manm added that he was confident that Margarot, bemg remarkably intimate with Holt, knew the entire plan of the rising ou the 4th March. Immediately King seized Margarot' 8 papers. They were found to be full of lies and Blander against his old comrades and against the govern- ment. The most significant danger was implied in the allegation that while the French officers in 1802 were receiving aid and comfort in Sydney they were tampering with the allegiance of the colony; and King's feelings were soon to be embittered by the reflection that Flinders was lingering in confinement at the Mauritius, whither King had entreated him not to go, Margarot was called upon to sub- stantiate charges made in hie papers against Commissary several others assembled as Freemasons His ExceUency has judged it expedient to order the said Henry Brown Hayes to hard labour at the new settlement to be formed at an Diemen's Land, and it is clearly to be understood by all and every of His Majesty's subjects resident or stationed in this colony that any siniilar meetings, without tlie express approbation of the Governor, will be punished to the utmost rigour of the laWj and as the local circumstances of this colony and its innabitants may require," King had good grounds for suspicion as to seeret meetings. When permission was asked he had forbidden Hayes to hold a Freemasons* Lodge. Surreptitiously, to evade the refusal. Colonel Paterson w^as aaked to permit a meetiag of a few friends at the iioiise of a sergeant of the New South Wales Corps. The boatB^ain on board H.M.S. Ghitton was one of the persons thua assembled, but he managed to escape to his ship. His name was Driscol. King sebied the othL^rs, but only punished Hayes. Kxiled United Irishmen caballing with Margarot of the London Corresponding Society, and holding secret meetings on board French men-of-war, could not expect to escape the watchfulness complained of by the French. On the I4th July ISOo it is uotified that Henry Brown Hayes has escaped from jnatiee, and all persons are required to apprehend him ; utmost rigour of the law. In 1812 Hayes sailed for Ireland in the sliip in which Joseph Holt sailed. After being wrecked at the Falkland lalandb^ they both reached their native land. Holt's '* Memoirs'* show that he was not on good terms with Hayes. Bligh meant Lo give Hayea a free pardon » aud Macquarie carried Bligh's intention into effect. Hayes was not interfered with by the law unless suspected of seditious practices. Between 1803, when his attendance at forbidden mee tings was checked^ and 1805, when he was proclaimed a runaway, he notified in the Sydn*^}j Oaiette that a reward of ten pounds would be given to anyone pro- secuting to conviction any offender cutting " ornamental trees of honey- suckle and she-oak'* on his property at Vauclase.
 * and any peiBon secreting liim will be prosecuted and puiiitthcd with the