Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/482

 rangers miffer Geary, The robber fell morta.lly^ %vouiided. Two of his companions were wonnded and captured. Colo- nel Dave J was a witness of these events. H<3 dwelt in the island for some time as a settler before he retired to Eng- land. Sorell instituted *' musters," similar to those in New South Wales. Convicts were thus kept under watch, j and a cheek was established upon the issue of passes to I them. But Colonel Sovell was not successful in raising the | moral tone of the conimunifcy. Mr. Bigge reported that it was lower in Yan Diem en's Land than in New South Wales, Exploration of the interior and of the coast of the little island was prosecuted during Macquarie's control- Flocks and herds increased. Wheat and even meat were exported to Sydney (181(>^t20), and in 1821 the muster show^ed a population of 7400; 15,000 cultivated acres; 35,000 cattle ; j 170,000 sheep; 550 horses; and 5000 pigs. Macquarie' visited hm dependency in 1821. He made a vice-regal progress, conferred names on places and pardons on convicts, and published a glowing account of the island and of his proceedings. i On the gloomy picture of the condition of the natives he ' did not descant. It was in keeping with the events of 1804. When the settlement was reduced to straits for food, kan- garoo hunting led many whites into the bush, and more than one isolated hunter fell a victim to the revenge of the blacks for tJie massacre of 1^04, The number of natives killed is not recorded in any human annals. Yet between 1805 and 1810, we learn that one huntsman, Germain, was eoatinually with them in safety, and that he declared that till they were excited by ill-treatment '* there was no harm in them.'' In vain Lord Hul>art urged the Governor to use theni kindl}'. Convicts let loose to forage for themselves, and armed with muskets, cared little for the Governor w^hen roaming out of sight in the primaeval forest. Collins endeavoured to imitate Phillip by securing a native. The prisoner escaped with his fetters, Collins notified that those who fired on the natives wantonly, or murdered them "in cold blood,'' should sufler the last penalties of the law. " There was a coroner^a inquest on Geary's horly. The verdict was— '* Homicide in furthemnce of public juatice/'— >'eritivortb*a ** New South Wales/' p, J4.1 1K19.