mortal, for the spear appeared to him to
be much lower down than it really was, and supposed, from the
number of armed men, that it would be impossible for any of the
party to escape to the boat. He turned round immediately to
return to the boat, as he perceived Captain Collins to go that
way, calling to the boat's crew to bring up the muskets; the
governor also attempted to run towards the boat, holding up the
spear with both hands, to keep it off the ground, but owing to
its great length, the end frequently took the ground and stopped
him (it was about twelve feet long). Governor Phillip, in this
situation, desired Mr. Waterhouse to endeavour, if possible, to
take the spear out, which he immediately attempted, but observing
it to be barbed, and the barb quite through, he saw it would be
impossible to draw it out; he therefore endeavoured to break it,
but could not.

While he was making this attempt, another spear was thrown out
of the wood, and took off the skin between Mr. Waterhouse's
fore-finger and thumb, which alarmed him a good deal, and he
thinks added power to his exertions, for the next attempt, he
broke it off. By this time, the spears flew pretty thick, one of
which he observed to fall at Captain Collins's feet, while he was
calling to the boat's crew: the governor attempted to pull a
pistol out of his pocket, but the spears flew so thick, that it
was unsafe to stop: however he got it out and fired it, upon a
supposition, that their knowing he had some fire-arms would deter
them from any further hostility.

The whole party got down to the boat without any further
accident, and in two hours they arrived at the government-house,
when the surgeons were sent for: Mr. Balmain, who was the first
that arrived, after examining the wound, made every body happy,
by assuring them he did not apprehend any fatal consequences from
it; he extracted the point of the spear, and dressed the wound,
and in six weeks the governor was perfectly recovered.

Immediately on the arrival of the governor at Sydney, it was
judged necessary to send an armed party of marines towards
Broken-bay, to escort the gentlemen who had walked that way back
again; lest the same hostile disposition in the natives, should
incline them to make an attack on them on their return.

Before I left Port Jackson, the natives were become very
familiar and intimate with every person in the settlement; many
of them now took up their rest every night in s