Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/420

 »IS HAEKIR DKSCKIBE8 BLI(m» 1807- On the same day, writing to Mrs. King as "My ever] honoured and much respected Madam,'* Harris said that BIigh*B measures "became so very glaring and iiksome to me thut I reai^iied the office of I naval officer, and lie^ to bo roveiigetl, dismissod me fromljeiug magiBti*nte. . ., He has tnrned every person who beld the lea»t appointment under Governor King from any situation, and ia surrounded by a few who find itr their interCBt to do whatever he may dictate. Uod only knows th« horrid measures that aT-e adopted. It is completely the reign of Rol^es- pierre, or that of terror/' He described the pompous state affected by BUgh : horsemen with a aergeant, two or three footmen or outriders, and he himself riding in a small sulky with a canvas awniug over him with i brails, and the sides of thia vehicle stuck round with wistols and a blunderbuss. , . . Shortly aft*r your flepartnre he Jjcgan finding | fault with everything tJovernor King had done^ and^ as is natural to all cowardly fellows, making use of moat vile abusive language and degrading epithets before the prisoners and other low vagrants, or those who he knew or thought would lie pleased therewith. He liappened once or twice to forget that I was presentj and I do assure you I did not forget him uor pasa it easily over. ... 1 have heard much of Bomitif Eligh ere I saw him, but no peraon could conceive that he should be such a fellow. He has been every day getting worse aud worse, anil if some steps are not Boon, nay, very soouj taken, tliis place is ruinerl. Caligula himself never reigned with more despotic sway than he does. He destroys and makes away with all private property, saying everything is liis j that that fool King had no power or authority to gmnt leases; takes any part cif them he cuooses, and gives to any creature of his own wlio will t«ll him any lies. . . . Tht^ greatest swindler, the most absolute thief and cheat (aud who is the Governor's friend) is Goie, the Provost -Marshal; he has every- Ijody in some way or other under contribution to him through Sydney. , . . In short* everybody is in a state of dread. . . . Such then is the hin<l we exist in (not live); how long it can remain in such a state I know not, but I think not long. . . . Crossley has got (from Bligli) two bullocks and a cow for pleitding and assisting Gore at his trial for atca.ling some gi-een talc curiosities, and on another indictment for fraudulently J obtaining payment twice for the same bill. . . . Mr. Weniwortb iqm been tried and reprimanded by a general com't-martial on the public parade for not taking a man into the general hospital by order of Captain Abbottj who is factotum at Parraniatta* and, strange to say, the day after the reprimand the Governor thought fit to euepend him from further duty nntil His Majesty *8 pleasure is known, and refuses to give any t^auioii why or wherefore he has done so/-,. . U hen he went last to Parraniatta I and Hawkeabnry he sent down word that no Civil Court or any judiclalj J B^Arcy Wentworth, in applying convicts to private lal>our whom hel received into the hospital at Parraniatta aa sick men, rendered it absolut^y ' neceaaary for me to suspend him. . . on 25 tb July last until His Majesty s pleasure is known.''
 * Nolhing leas than a eoaeli-iQulfour in waiting; aix or eight light
 * A despatch from Bligb (31flt Oct*) said— "The extreme miaeonduet ot