to
go with him, to which he was powerfully induced by the apprehension of
corporal punishment, for the loss of a shirt that had been stolen from
him. For the first and second day they strayed through the forest; on
the third made the beach, and travelled towards Port Dalrymple, until
the fifth, when they arrived at King's River. They remained three or
four days in an adjoining wood, to avoid soldiers who were in pursuit of
them, and were all the time, from the period they started, without a
morsel to eat. Overcome by famine, Pearce determined to take Cox's life,
which he effected by the stroke of an axe while Cox was sleeping. Soon
after the soldiers had departed, Pearce occupied the place they had been
in, where he remained part of a day and a night, living on the mutilated
remains of Cox; he returned to the settlement, made signal, and was
taken up by the pilot, who conveyed him to Macquarie Harbour, where he
disclosed to the commandant the deed he had done, being weary of life,
and willing to die for the misfortunes and atrocities into which he had
fallen.

The reverend gentlemen then proceeded to state, that he believed it was
in the recollection of every one present, that eight men had made their
escape, last year, from Macquarie Harbour. All these, except Pearce, who
was of the party, soon perished, or were destroyed by the hands of their
companions. To set the public right respecting their fate, Pearce is
desirous to state that this party, which consisted of himself, Matthew
Travers, Bob Greenhill, Bill Cornelius, Alexander Dalton, John Mathers,
and two more, named Bodnam and Brown, escaped from Macquarie Harbour in
two boats, taking with them what provision the coal-miners had, which
afforded each man about two ounces of food per day, for a week.
Afterwards they lived eight or nine days on the tops of tea tree and
peppermint, which they boiled in tin-pots to extract the juice. Having
ascended a hill, in sight of Macquarie Harbour, they struck a light and
made two fires. Cornelius, Brown, and Dalton, placed themselves at one
fire, the rest of the party at the other; those three separated,
privately, from the party, on account of Greenhill having already said,
that lots must be cast for some one to be put to death, to save the
whole from perishing. Pearce does not know, personally, what became of
Cornelius, Brown, and Dalton: he heard that Cornelius and Brown reached
Macquarie Harbour, where they soon died, and th