Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/429

 BLIGH AND MACARTHUR, 401 cessively three other sites which Bligh refused to grant. Grimes told him of a situation which Bligh would grant. Mac- arthur declined it and Bligh desired Grimes to say that he would not " locate either of the three situations you have fixed upon, and will not allow you to build on your lease, or make any erections until the Governor may receive orders respecting that spot from England ; and that the Governor will not receive any letters from you on the subject." Macarthur, in writing, regretted that the " three situa- tions" were not approved of, declined to accept the objectionable allotment, and begged "leave to retain the lease" in his possession. He had commenced to fence the ground by means of the labour of soldiers of the New South Wales Corps. Bligh desired Johnston to order that the soldiers should not go on with the work. Johnston com- plied. The posts were placed loosely in the post-holes, and the rails were on the ground. Macarthur stood hy talking to Major Abbott and Kemp, when an emancipated convict, a " superintendent of labour," rode up, and in reply to a question said he had orders from the Governor to remove any post fixed in the ground. Macarthur immediately fixed one. The overseer alighted, pulled out the post '*by order of the Governor," and added: "When the axe is laid to the root the tree must fall." Grimes, the Surveyor-General, had recently returned to the colony. He deposed that on being requested by another lessee (who was to be disturbed) to put the Governor's message in writing, Bligh told him in a very violent manner at his peril to do so. The pulling down of the post fixed by Macarthur occurred (Jan. 1808) while he was under committal for trial upon a charge by means of which one at least of Bligh's abettors hoped to crush him. The cause of Crossley's special enmity cannot be told; but Macarthur was obnoxious to the dissolute because his domestic life was pure, and his imperious temper was not apt to conciliate those who differed from him. The petard which was to hoist him was found in an Order of Governor King's to prevent escape of convicts from the colony. Atkins swore (in England) that Crossley and the Governor had previously concerted the terms of an information agama. Mab^si^x^xM., AA