boat, to prevent his discovery being made public
to more than one person, he made a pretence to leave him, and, reaching
the settlement some hours before the officer, reported that he had been
sent up by him for a guard. The fellow knew too well the consequences
that would follow on the officer's arrival to wait for that, and
therefore set off directly into the woods, whence he returned the day
following, when he was punished with fifty lashes for his imposition.
Still, however, persisting that he had discovered a metal, a specimen of
which he produced, the governor, who was absent from the settlement at
the opening of the business, but had now returned, ordered him to be
taken again down the harbour, with directions to his adjutant to land him
on the place the man should point out, and keep him in his sight; but on
being assured by that officer, that if he attempted to deceive him he
would put him to death, the man saved him the trouble of going far with
him, and confessed that his story of having discovered a gold mine was a
falsehood which he had propagated the hope of imposing on the people
belonging to the _Fishburn_ and _Golden Grove_, from whom, being about to
prepare for Europe, he expected to procure cloathing and other articles
in return for his promised gold-dust; and that he had fabricated the
specimens of the metal which he had exhibited, from a guinea and a brass
buckle; the remains of which he then produced.

For this imposture he was afterwards ordered by the magistrates before
whom he was examined to receive a hundred lashes, and to wear a canvas
frock, with the letter R cut and sewn upon it, to distinguish him more
particularly from others as a rogue.

Among the people of his own description, there were many who believed,
notwithstanding his confession and punishment, that he had actually made
the discovery he pretended, and was induced to say it was a fabrication
merely to secure it to himself, to make use of at a future opportunity.
So easy is it to impose on the minds of the lower class of people!

The natives continued to molest our people whenever they chanced to meet
any of them straggling and unarmed; yet, although forcibly warned by the
evil and danger that attended their straggling, the latter still
continued to give the natives opportunity of injuring them. About the
middle of the month a convict, who had wandered beyond the limits of
security which had been pointed out for them, fell in wit