the early governors of New
South Wales, as the colony was then called. He caused the mutiny on the
_Bounty_ by want of tact and by undue severity, and the same spirit that
he showed on the deck of his ship caused a rebellion in New South Wales.
Of course, the convicts had no influence or part in the rebellion, but
the free settlers were very active in it, and so were a good many of the
officers. Bligh caused himself to be thoroughly disliked by interfering
with local trade, and also by his very intemperate talk concerning free
settlers and emancipists. He was deposed and sent to England, while a
temporary governor was installed in his place. To a certain extent he
triumphed over his enemies, as the officers who had taken part in the
rebellion were either reprimanded or dismissed. Governor Bligh came back
with the authority to assume the position of governor for just one
hour."

"Not a very long term for a man to be governor," Ned remarked.

"No, not by any means," was the reply; "but there was a technical
advantage in it which was very important. The governor did a great deal
in that one hour. He removed a good many officers and appointed new
ones in their places, and he made several changes in the administration
of the colony which were more or less embarrassing to his successor.

"Governor Bligh was succeeded by Governor Macquarie. The quarrel between
the free settlers and the emancipists continued during Macquarie's
administration. The governor took the side of the emancipists, and at
one time there was a good prospect of another rebellion; but, happily,
the new chief of the colony possessed more tact than his predecessor,
and no rebellion was ever brought about. Governor Macquarie relaxed some
of the severity with which the convicts had been treated, and this,
together with his favoring the emancipists, gave him the title of the
'Prisoners' Friend.'

"As time went on, the number of free settlers in the colony increased,
and so did the number of farms in the vicinity of Sydney. As I have
already told you, the convicts were hired out to work on the farms. Of
course a good many of them ran away, and then some of them got into the
bush, where they remained for various periods, but the majority of them
were caught and brought back within a few days. Dogs were used in
pursuing them, and several kennels of dogs were kept at the prisons for
the purpose of hunting out runaways. Some of the prisoners' beliefs in
regard to