Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/371

 warrior was lodged in the gaoL As several had been shot and Mustiiiito had been surrendered. King determined, to tlie gratiiieation of his sable capturers, to send him and| others to Norfolk Island instead of hanging him. A general order expressed a ** hope that the apprehension of the native called Musqiiito^* might effectually prevent further mischief." Atkins, the nommal legal adviser of the Gover- nor, plied him with arguments for field*slaughter. He wrote (July 1805) : country, genemUy speaking, a,re at preaent incapable of being brought l>efore a (Jriaiiiial Court, eitner as criminals or as evidence, that it would lie a mockery of judicial prr>ceeding8» and a solecism in law, and that the ordy mode at present, when they deserve it, is to pnraae and inflict sneh pimishnient as they may merit." In March 1806, King reported that the natives had continued ** on the most amicahle footing since then- last misconduct/' The transportation of *'two of the principals to Norfolk Island'' had a great effect > and occasioned ** the present good understandhig." The stranding of a coasting vessel at Twofold Bay in 180<i hrought nativen around her, and, ** according to report/* their hostile demeanour rendered it necessary to fire on them, when 18(16) the white man may be justified on the principle of self-defence, yet I have cause to think the natives have suffered some wi-ong from the worthless characters who are passing and repassing the different placeii on the coast; nor would they escape the punishment such conduct deserves if it could in any instance be proved." In spite of this mora! sentiment it cannot be held that King rose to the height of his duty. No man but Phillip had shown that he was just or sagacious enough to punish the excesses of the whites, which, in the pages of Collins and elsewhere, are proved to have been rampant in the land. The white people were amused sometimes by the fights of the natives. In 1803 one Mosquito (whether thai hero of resistance to the English or not is not stated) had to defend himself against the kindred of a native he had "^ The aiD|ralar influence which he obtained aa the leader of the natives in Van Diemen*s Land will appear hereafter. After asaisting in warfare against the Taamanians, and aiding in the capture of daring bushrangera, Musquito himself became an outlaw, aod bsid the address to put hima^at ' the head of the hostile ntitivea.
 * The object of this letter is to iinpre^a the idea that the natives of this
 * Some of the natives were killed. However much [King wrote 15th March