Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/354

 ere tliia, Init luifortiinately a large party (supposefl to be the BAme) attacked the guard of marines {tma sergeant and two privates), ami jinsiHted on taking their tent and everything they BftW. They came to ■ eloae quartei^, seized the sergeant,, and wanted to throw him over a rock into the sell. At last the guard were imder the unpleasant alterEative of defentling tht^mselves, and fircti njron tiiem, killed one, and wonnded I another. This uafortunate cireuinabanue I am fearful will be the cause of J ninch misciiief hereafter, and will prevent our excursions inland except J when well armed /^ Neither CollioB nor Patersoii had the sagacity to follow the example of FHntlers, who obtained King*s permission to take two Sydney natives to assist Jiim in o^mning com- ninnicaiions with their conntrynien. Then* sight and memory seldom failed to recognize a person once seen, and they might have saved Collins and Paterson from donbts as to the identity of visitors at the settlements. As affairs were managed, war to the knife was declared at both ends of Van Biemen*s Land in 1804. Paterson's military force was considerable. He had with him seventy- four soldiers at a time when only 12!) male convicts were at Port Dalrymple. Contempt and dread ever influenced the Imeaner order of the whites to maltreat their black brethren. | The efforts of the better class could not remove the ill- eftecfc of the misdeeds of the worse. The small settlement at the Tlunterllivcr contained some of the most dangerous convicts. The appointoient of Lt, Menzies, of II.M.S* Cfilvntta, as commaudant, was approved by the Aduiiralty, and he remained at Newcastle until the effervescent assumption of a subaltern of the New South Corps caused him to resign. The commanding officer in Sydney was of opinion that Menzies had no right to command the military detachment. Menzies claimed to do so on the gnniiul that a u^arine was stationed there. King declined to interfere **jn point of military form/* and Menzies cou tinned to serve until insulted by the subaltern, I A court-martial was held, and Ensign Cressey was con- demned* The Governor suspended the sentence, because a ' sentence of cashiering or death required to be laid before fthe Throne, Another ensign, Draftin, was appointed as commandant on Menzies* reHignation, but he soon became deranged, and King wrote, in April 1805 : *' Having no other person to pot in charge of that productive and useful estebJishmeut, 1 liave placed it under Mr. Throsby, an