n; and Colbee, in the room of fulfilling his engagement,
is loitering about the lookout house. Nay, so far from wishing even to
describe faithfully the person of the man who has thrown the spear, they
pretended that he has a distorted foot, which is a palpable falsehood. So
that we have our efforts only to depend upon; and I am resolved to execute
the prisoners who may be brought in, in the most public and exemplary
manner, in the presence of as many of their countrymen as can be collected,
after having explained the cause of such a punishment; and my fixed
determination to repeat it, whenever any future breach of good conduct on
their side shall render it necessary."

Here the governor stopped, and addressing himself to me, said if I could
propose any alteration of the orders under which I was to act, he would
patiently listen to me. Encouraged by this condescension, I begged leave
to offer for consideration whether, instead of destroying ten persons,
the capture of six would not better answer all the purposes for which the
expedition was to be undertaken; as out of this number, a part might be
set aside for retaliation; and the rest, at a proper time, liberated, after
having seen the fate of their comrades and being made sensible of the cause
of their own detention.

This scheme, his Excellency was pleased instantly to adopt, adding, "if
six cannot be taken, let this number be shot. Should you, however, find it
practicable to take so many, I will hang two and send the rest to Norfolk
Island for a certain period, which will cause their countrymen to believe
that we have dispatched them secretly." The order was accordingly altered
to its present form; and I took my leave to prepare, after being again
cautioned not to deceive by holding signals of amity.

At four o'clock on the morning of the 14th we marched The detachment
consisted, besides myself, of Captain Hill of the New South Wales Corps,
Lieutenants Poulder and Dawes, of the marines, Mr. Worgan and Mr. Lowes,
surgeons, three sergeants, three corporals, and forty private soldiers,
provided with three days provisions, ropes to bind our prisoners with, and
hatchets and bags to cut off and contain the heads of the slain. By nine
o'clock this terrific procession reached the peninsula at the head of
Botany Bay, but after having walked in various directions until four
o'clock in the afternoon, without seeing a native, we halted for the night.

At daylight on the follow