a complete account of the settlement-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


d；　told　us　all　the　customs　of　his　country；　and　all　the　details　of　his　family　economy。　Love　and　war　seemed　his　favourite　pursuits；　in　both　of　which　he　had　suffered　severely。　　His　head　was　disfigured　by　several　scars；　a　spear　had　passed　through　his　arm；　and　another　through　his　leg。　　Half　of　one　of　his　thumbs　was　carried　away；　and　the　mark　of　a　wound　appeared　on　the　back　of　his　hand。　The　cause　and　attendant　circumstances　of　all　these　disasters；　except　one；　he　related　to　us。

〃But　the　wound　on　the　back　of　your　hand；　Baneelon！　　How　did　you　get　that？〃

He　laughed；　and　owned　that　it　was　received　in　carrying　off　a　lady　of　another　tribe　by　force。　　〃I　was　dragging　her　away。　　She　cried　aloud；　and　stuck　her　teeth　in　me。〃

〃And　what　did　you　do　then？〃

〃I　knocked　her　down；　and　beat　her　till　she　was　insensible；　and　covered　with　blood。　　Then。。。〃

Whenever　he　recounted　his　battles；　〃poised　his　lance；　and　showed　how　fields　were　won〃；　the　most　violent　exclamations　of　rage　and　vengeance　against　his　competitors　in　arms；　those　of　the　tribe　called　Cameeragal　in　particular；　would　burst　from　him。　　And　he　never　failed　at　such　times　to　solicit　the　governor　to　accompany　him；　with　a　body　of　soldiers；　in　order　that　he　might　exterminate　this　hated　name。

Although　I　call　him　only　Baneelon；　he　had　besides　several　appellations；　and　for　a　while　he　chose　to　be　distinguished　by　that　of　Wolarawaree。　Again；　as　a　mark　of　affection　and　respect　to　the　governor；　he　conferred　on　him　the　name　of　Wolarawaree；　and　sometimes　called　him　'Beenena'　（father）；　adopting　to　himself　the　name　of　governor。　　This　interchange　we　found　is　a　constant　symbol　of　friendship　among　them*。　　In　a　word；　his　temper　seemed　pliant；　and　his　relish　of　our　society　so　great；　that　hardly　any　one　judged　he　would　attempt　to　quit　us；　were　the　means　of　escape　put　within　his　reach。　　Nevertheless　it　was　thought　proper　to　continue　a　watch　over　him。

＇*It　is　observable　that　this　custom　prevails　as　a　pledge　of　friendship　and　kindness　all　over　Asia；　and　has　also　been　mentioned　by　Captain　Cook　to　exist　among　the　natives　in　the　South　Sea　Islands。＇




CHAPTER　VI。



Transactions　of　the　Colony；　from　the　Beginning　of　the　Year　1790　until　the　End　of　May　following。


Our　impatience　of　news　from　Europe　strongly　marked　the　commencement　of　the　year。　　We　had　now　been　two　years　in　the　country；　and　thirty…two　months　from　England；　in　which　long　period　no　supplies；　except　what　had　been　procured　at　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　by　the　'Sirius'；　had　reached　us。　　From　intelligence　of　our　friends　and　connections　we　had　been　entirely　cut　off；　no　communication　whatever　having　passed　with　our　native　country　since　the　13th　of　May　1787；　the　day　of　our　departure　from　Portsmouth。　　Famine　besides　was　approaching　with　gigantic　strides；　and　gloom　and　dejection　overspread　every　countenance。　Men　abandoned　themselves　to　the　most　desponding　reflections；　and　adopted　the　most　extravagant　conjectures。

Still　we　were　on　the　tiptoe　of　expectation。　　If　thunder　broke　at　a　distance；　or　a　fowling…piece　of　louder　than　ordinary　report　resounded　in　the　woods；　〃a　gun　from　a　ship〃　was　echoed　on　every　side；　and　nothing　but　hurry　and　agitation　prevailed。　　For　eighteen　months　after　we　had　landed　in　the　country；　a　party　of　marines　used　to　go　weekly　to　Botany　Bay；　to　see　whether　any　vessel；　ignorant　of　our　removal　to　Port　Jackson；　might　be　arrived　there。　　But　a　better　plan　was　now　devised；　on　the　suggestion　of　captain　Hunter。　　A　party　of　seamen　were　fixed　on　a　high　bluff；　called　the　South…head；　at　the　entrance　of　the　harbour；　on　which　a　flag　was　ordered　to　be　hoisted；　whenever　a　ship　might　appear；　which　should　serve　as　a　direction　to　her；　and　as　a　signal　of　approach　to　us。　　Every　officer　stepped　forward　to　volunteer　a　service　which　promised　to　be　so　replete　with　beneficial　consequences。　　But　the　zeal　and　alacrity　of　captain　Hunter；　and　our　brethren　of　the　'Sirius'；　rendered　superfluous　all　assistance　or　co…operation。

Here　on　the　summit　of　the　hill；　every　morning　from　daylight　until　the　sun　sunk；　did　we　sweep　the　horizon；　in　hope　of　seeing　a　sail。　　At　every　fleeting　speck　which　arose　from　the　bosom　of　the　sea；　the　heart　bounded；　and　the　telescope　was　lifted　to　the　eye。　　If　a　ship　appeared　here；　we　knew　she　must　be　bound　to　us；　for　on　the　shores　of　this　vast　ocean　（the　largest　in　the　world）　we　were　the　only　community　which　possessed　the　art　of　navigation；　and　languished　for　intercourse　with　civilized　society。

To　say　that　we　were　disappointed　and　shocked；　would　very　inadequately　describe　our　sensations。　　But　the　misery　and　horror　of　such　a　situation　cannot　be　imparted；　even　by　those　who　have　suffered　under　it。

March；　1790。　　Vigorous　measures　were　become　indispensable。　　The　governor　therefore；　early　in　February；　ordered　the　'Sirius'　to　prepare　for　a　voyage　to　China；　and　a　farther　retrenchment　of　our　ration；　we　were　given　to　understand；　would　take　place　on　her　sailing。

But　the　'Sirius'　was　destined　not　to　reach　China。　　Previously　to　her　intended　departure　on　that　voyage；　she　was　ordered；　in　concert　with　the　'Supply'；　to　convey　Major　Ross；　with　a　large　detachment　of　marines；　and　more　than　two　hundred　convicts；　to　Norfolk　Island；　it　being　hoped　that　such　a　division　of　our　numbers　would　increase　the　means　of　subsistence；　by　diversified　exertions。　　She　sailed　on　the　6th　of　March。　　And　on　the　27th　of　the　same　month；　the　following　order　was　issued　from　headquarters。


ParoleHonour。

Counter　signExample。

The　expected　supply　of　provisions　not　having　arrived；　makes　it　necessary　to　reduce　the　present　ration。　And　the　commissary　is　directed　to　issue；　from　the　1st　of　April；　the　under…mentioned　allowance；　to　every　person　in　the　settlement　without　distinction。

Four　pounds　of　flour；　two　pounds　and　a　half　of　salt　pork；　and　one　pound　and　a　half　of　rice；　per　week。


On　the　5th　of　April　news　was　brought；　that　the　flag　on　the　South…head　was　hoisted。　　Less　emotion　was　created　by　the　news　than　might　be　expected。　Every　one　coldly　said　to　his　neighbour；　〃the　'Sirius'　and　'Supply'　are　returned　from　Norfolk　Island。〃　　To　satisfy　myself　that　the　flag　was　really　flying；　I　went　to　the　observatory；　and　looked　for　it　through　the　large　astronomical　telescope；　when　I　plainly　saw　it。　　But　I　was　immediately　convinced　that　it　was　not　to　announce　the　arrival　of　ships　from　England；　for　I　could　see　nobody　near　the　flagstaff　except　one　solitary　being；　who　kept　strolling　around；　unmoved　by　what　he　saw。　　I　well　knew　how　different　an　effect　the　sight　of　strange　ships　would　produce。

April；　1790。　　The　governor；　however；　determined　to　go　down　the　harbour；　and　I　begged　permission　to　accompany　him。　　Having　turned　a　point　about　half　way　down；　we　were　surprised　to　see　a　boat；　which　was　known　to　belong　to　the　'Supply'；　rowing　towards　us。　　On　nearer　approach；　I　saw　captain　Ball　make　an　extraordinary　motion　with　his　hand；　which　too　plainly　indicated　that　something　disastrous　had　happened；　and　I　could　not　help　turning　to　the　governor；　near　whom　I　sat；　and　saying；　〃Sir；　prepare　yourself　for　bad　news。〃　A　few　minutes　changed　doubt　into　certainty；　and　to　our　unspeakable　consternation　we　learned；　that　the　'Sirius'　had　been　wrecked　on　Norfolk　Island；　on　the　19th　of　February。　　Happily；　however；　Captain　Hunter；　and　every　other　person　belonging　to　her；　were　saved。

Dismay　was　painted　on　every　countenance；　when　the　tidings　were　proclaimed　at　Sydney。　　The　most　distracting　apprehensions　were　entertained　　All　hopes　were　now　concentred　in　the　little　'Supply'。

At　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　all　the　officers　of　the　garrison；　both　civil　and　military；　were　summoned　to　meet　the　governor　in　council；　when　the　nature　of　our　situation　was　fully　discussed　and　an　account　of　the　provisions　yet　remaining　in　store　laid　before　the　council　by　the　commissary。　　This　account　stated；　that　on　the　present　ration*　the　public　stores　contained　salt　meat　sufficient　to　serve　until　the　2nd　of　July；　flour　until　the　20th　of　August；　and　rice；　or　pease　in　lieu　of　it；　until　the　1st　of　October。

＇*See　the　ration　of　the　27th　of　March；　a　few　pages　back。＇

Several　regulations　for　the　more　effectual　preservation　of　gardens；　and　other　private　property；　were　proposed；　and　adopted　and　after　some　interchange　of　opinion；　the　following　ration　was　decreed　to　commence　immediately；　a　vigorous　exertion　to　prolong　existence；　or　the　chance　of　relief；　being　all　now　left　to　us。


　　　Two　pounds　of　pork；　two　pounds　and　a　half　of　flour；　　　　two　pounds　of　rice；　or　a　quart　of　pease；　per　week；　　　　to　every　grown　person；　and　to　every　child　of　more　　　　than　eighteen　months　old。

　　　To　every　child　under　eighteen　months　old；　the　same　　　　quantity　of　rice　and　flour；　and　one　pound　of　pork。**


＇**When　the　age　of　this　provision　is　recollected；　its　inadequacy　will　more　strikingly　appear。　　The　pork　and　rice　were　brought　with　us　from　England。　The　pork　had　been　salted　between　three　and　four　years；　and　every　grain　of　rice　was　a　moving　body；　from　the　inhabitants　lodged　within　it。　We　soon　left　off　boiling　the　pork；　as　it　had　become　so　old　and　dry；　that　it　shrunk　one　half　in　its　dimensions　when　so　dressed。　　Our　usual　method　of　cooking　it　was　to　cut　off　the　daily　morsel；　and　toast　it　on　a　fork　before　the　fire；　catching　the　drops　which　fell　on　a　slice　of　bread；