Bennillong and Cole-be
Various particulars respecting the natives
Ye-ra-nibe killed
A settler's house burnt through malice
Schools at Sydney
Two settlers drink for a wager
The body of a soldier found
Criminal court
The _Francis_ sails for the wreck
Weather
Houses burnt
Public labour
Harvest
Account of live stock and ground in cultivation
December.] A circumstance occurred about the beginning of this month,
that excited much interest in the town of Sydney, and great commotion
among the natives. Two of these people, both of them well known in the
settlement, (Cole-be, the friend of Bennillong, and one of the
Ye-ra-ni-bes) meeting in the town, while their bosoms were yet swelling on
occasion of some former difference, attacked each other. Cole-be had
always been remarked for his activity, but Ye-ra-ni-be had more youth
than his adversary, and was reckoned a perfect match for him. On closing
on each other, with their clubs, until which time Cole-be had not gained
any advantage over Ye-ra-ni-be, the handle of Ye-ra-ni-be's shield drew
out, and it consequently fell from his grasp: while stooping to take it
up, the other struck him on the head with a club, which staggered him,
and followed his blow while he was in that defenceless situation.
Cole-be knew that this would ensure him the appellation of jeerun, or
coward, and that the friends of Ye-ra-ni-be would as certainly take up
his cause. As the consequences might be very serious if he should die of
the blow, he thought it prudent to abscond for a while, and Yera-ni-be
was taken care of by some of his white friends. This happened on the
10th, and on the 16th he died. In this interval he was constantly
attended by some of his male and female associates, particularly by his
two friends, Collins (for Gnung-a Gnung-a still went by the late
judge-advocate's name) and Mo-roo-bra. On one of the nights when a most
dismal song of lamentation had been sung over him, in which the women
were the principal performers, his male friends, after listening for some
time with great apparent attention, suddenly started up, and, seizing
their weapons, went off in a most savage rage, determined on revenge.
Knowing pretty well where to meet with Cole-be, they beat him very
severely, but would not kill him, reserving that gratification of their
revenge until the fate of their companion should be decided. On the
following night, Collins and Mo-roo-bra attacked a relation of Cole-be's,
Boo-ra-wan-ye, whom they beat about the head with such cruelty that his
recovery was doubtful. As their vengeance extends to all the family and
relations of a culprit, what a misfortune it must be to be connected with
a man of a choleric disposition!
Ye-ra-ni-be was buried the day after his decease by the side of the
public road, below the military barracks. He was placed by his friends
upon a large piece of bark, and laid into a grave, which was formed by
them after our manner (only not so deep), they seeming in this instance
to be desirous of imitating our custom. Bennillong assisted at the
ceremony, placing the head of the corpse, by which he struck a beautiful
war-ra-taw, and covering the body with the blanket on which he died.
Being supplied with some spades, the earth was thrown in by the
by-standers, during which, and indeed throughout the whole of the
ceremony, the women howled and cried excessively; but this was the effect
of the violent gusts of passion into which the men every moment threw
themselves. At this time many spears were thrown, and some blows were
inflicted with clubs; but no serious mischief ensued. On the death of
Cole-be, all seemed determined; for the man whose life he had in so
cowardly a manner taken away was much beloved by his countrymen.
With this design, a number of natives assembled a few days afterwards
before the barracks, breathing revenge; at which time a young man, a
relation to the object of their vengeance, received so many wounds, that
he was nearly killed; and a lad, who was also related to him
(Nan-bar-ray, the same who formerly lived with Mr. White, the principal
surgeon), was to have been sacrificed; but he was saved for the present
by the appearance of a soldier, who had been sent to the place with him
for his protection; and it was thought that when the present tumult
against his uncle (for Cole-be was the brother of this boy's father) had
subsided, nothing more would be thought of him.
Cole-be, finding that he must either submit to the trial usual on such
occasions, or live in the continual apprehension of being taken off by a
midnight murder and a single hand, determined to come forward, and suffer
the business to be decided one way or the other. Having signified his
resolution, a day was appointed, and he repaired armed to the place of
rendezvous. The rage and violence shown by the friends of the deceased
were indescribable; and Cole-be would certainly have expiated his offence
with his life, but for the interference of several of the military,
before whose barrack the affair took place. Although active, and
extremely _au fait_ in the use of the shield, he was overpowered, and,
falling beneath their spears, would certainly have been killed on the
spot, but several soldiers rushed in, and prevented their putting him to
death where he lay; he himself, from the many severe wounds which he had
received, being wholly incapable of making any resistance. His friends,
the soldiers, lifted him from the ground, and between them bore him into
the barracks.
Bennillong, the particular friend and companion of Cole-be, was present
at this meeting; but, it was supposed, without intending to take any part
in it either way. The atrocity of his friend's conduct had been such that
he could not openly espouse his quarrel; perhaps he had no stomach to the
fight; and certainly, if he could avoid it, he would not, by appearing
against him, add to the number of his enemies. He was armed, however, and
unencumbered with clothing of any kind, and remained a silent spectator
of the tumultuous scene, until the moment when the soldiers rushed in to
save the life of Cole-be. His conduct here became inexplicable. On a
sudden, he chose to be in a rage at something or other, and threw a spear
among the soldiers, which dreadfully took effect on one of them, entering
at his back and coming out at the belly, close to the navel. For this he
would instantly have been killed on the spot, had not Mr. Smith, the
provost-marshal, interfered and brought him away, boiling with the most
savage rage; for he had received a blow on the head with the butt-end of
a musket.
It became necessary to confine him during the night, as well to prevent
the mischief with which he threatened the white people, as to save him
from the anger of the military, and on the following morning he quitted
the town.
This man, instead of making himself useful, or showing the least
gratitude for the attentions which he received from every one, had become
a most insolent and troublesome savage. As it was impossible sometimes to
avoid censuring him for his conduct, he had been known to walk about
armed, and heard to declare it was for the express purpose of spearing
the governor whenever he saw him. This last outrage of his had rendered
him more hateful than any of his countrymen; and, as the natives who had
so constantly resided and received so many comforts in the settlement
were now afraid to appear in the town, believing that, like themselves,
we should punish all for the misconduct of one, it might rather be
expected that Bennillong could not be far from meeting that punishment
which he certainly provoked and merited.
During the time that Ye-ra-ni-be was alive, the attendance of the natives
who were then in the town was called to the performance of the ceremony
named Yoo-lahng Era-ba-diang, the particulars of which have been
described in the preceding* part of this account. The place of meeting at
this time was in the middle harbour; and the various exhibitions which
took place were not observed to differ from those of the preceding years.
The season of the year was the same, but not precisely the month, which
confirmed the conjecture of their not being influenced by any particular
motive in the choice of the month of February for the celebration of this
curious and peculiar ceremony.
[* Vide Appendix to Vol I.]
Bennillong, who assisted at it, returned without his wife, the lady
having been without much difficulty persuaded by her mother, whom she
accidentally met at the Yoo-lahng, to leave her husband, and return with
her to the place of her residence. Bennillong, notwithstanding the
European polish which he could at times assume, was by no means a
favourite with, or held in much estimation by the females of his own
complexion. If any unfortunate girl was seen to be in his train for any
time, she was well known to be actuated less by inclination than by the
fear of his exercising that right which the stronger always claimed the
privilege of possessing over the weaker sex.
The business of the settlement now reclaims our notice.
Some time in this month the house of John Mitcham, a settler in the
district of Concord, was attacked by three villains, and set on fire,
together with a stack of wheat, which he had just completed and secured
against the weather. This unfortunate man was indebted about £33 which
the contents of his wheat-stack would have paid off, but now, besides
being very much beaten, he had the world to begin again, with a load of
debt which this untoward accident would much increase. The man himself
knew not to what cause to attribute it; and he was as ignorant who were
his enemies; for two of them had blackened their faces, and to the third
he was a stranger.
On its being represented to the governor, he gave information of the
mischief in the public orders; and at the same time called upon every man
who valued the safety of his person, and the security of his property, to
use the utmost vigilance in discovering and bringing to justice these
daring offenders, that the law might have an opportunity of showing its
ability to defend the property of every inhabitant of the colony, by the
punishment of those who dared to attack it. He also observed, as a
further inducement, that the inhabitants could not fail to see the danger
of suffering evils of this kind to pass unnoticed; as the most ignorant
must know, that every reduction in the quantity of wheat must be attended
with a reduction in the weekly ration; a circumstance by which every man,
whether on or off the public store, was affected. The Order concluded
with an offer of conditional freedom, and permission to become a settler,
to any person, who, being a convict, would come forward and give such
information as might serve to convict the offenders before a court of
criminal judicature.
Dogs had increased to such an extent as to occasion their becoming the
object of a public order, restricting the number kept by each person to
no more than were absolutely necessary for the protection of his house
and premises. Much mischief had been done by them among the hogs, sheep,
goats, and fowls of individuals.
There were at this time in the town of Sydney three schools for the
education of children; and this being the period of their breaking-up for
the Christmas holidays, the governor was gratified with the sight of 102
clean and decently dressed children, who came with their several masters
and mistresses, and in form paid their respects to his excellency, who
examined the progress of the elder scholars in writing, specimens of
which he kept for the purpose of comparing with those which they should
present to him on the following Christmas.
One moment's reflection on the vices that prevailed in the colony will be
sufficient to excite a wish, that some institution could have been
devised for separating the greater part of these (at present, innocent)
members of the community from their vicious parents, where they could
have been educated at the public expense, their propensities to evil
corrected, and that turn given to their attainments which should secure
them a stock of useful knowledge. An arrangement of this nature was every
day becoming more necessary; for there were not less than 300 young
people at this time in the town of Sydney, none of whom, with the
exception of a very few, had been born in England.
On the eve of Christmas Day two young men, settlers on some land midway
between Sydney and Parramatta, having been boasting of their respective
abilities in drinking, regardless of the solemnity of the time,
challenged each other to a trial of their skill; on which they were so
deliberately bent, that, to prevent their being interrupted, they retired
to the skirts of a neighbouring wood, with a quantity of raw spirits
which they had provided for the purpose. Their abilities, however, were
not equal to their boasting; for one of them died upon the spot, and the
life of the other was fast ebbing when he was taken up. Had another hour
elapsed, he too must have perished, like his wretched companion. They had
not been able to finish all the pernicious spirit which they had
prepared, some of it remaining by them in a case bottle when they were
found.
On the morning of Christmas Day, the governor was informed that two
seamen belonging to the _Reliance_ had discovered the body of a
soldier (who had been for two days missing from the look-out post on the
South Head, where he was on duty), lying in a mangled state, the head and
hands being cut off. Some words having passed between him and a soldier,
who had been also heard to threaten him, he was suspected of having
committed the murder, and on the 30th was put on his trial for the same.
Nothing, however, appeared before the court that could substantiate the
charge of murder against him; neither was it clearly ascertained that
violent hands had been laid on the deceased. As it had been foreseen that
direct proof would be wanting, it was deemed expedient to obtain what
might be, though not positive, yet of a nature to be nearly as
satisfactory. With this view, the suspected person was directed to handle
and bury the body, which he did without any apparent emotion; nor did the
body bleed at his touch, or exhibit any sign that superstition or
ignorance could turn into an accusation against him; he observing at the
same time, that, as he had never had any quarrel with the deceased, he
could have no objection to perform this last friendly office for him.
At this court a settler was fined the sum of 40 shillings, and ordered to
labour for six weeks, being convicted of disobeying the public orders of
the colony.
The commander of the wrecked ship, _Sydney Cove_, having solicited
the governor to spare him the Colonial schooner for the purpose of
visiting the wreck of his ship, and the six men whom he had left upon the
island in charge of what had been landed; though he could very ill part
with the services of the vessel at this time, yet, in consideration of
the melancholy situation of the people, and the chance that there might
be of saving something for the benefit of the underwriters, he consented;
and about the latter end of the month the _Francis_ sailed with
Captain Hamilton to the southward.
The weather was now becoming exceedingly hot; and as, at this season of
the year, the heat of the sun was so intense that every substance became
a combustible, and a single spark, if exposed to the air, in a moment
became a flame, much evil was to be dreaded from fire. On the east side
of the town of Sydney, a fire, the effect of intoxication or
carelessness, broke out among the convicts' houses, when three of them
were quickly destroyed; and three miles from the town another house was
burnt by some run-away wretches, who, being displeased with the owner,
took this diabolical method of showing it.
The public labour of the month at Sydney comprised the covering of the
new store-house; finishing the church tower; constructing another
wind-mill, of which the beams of the second floor were laid; completing
the barracks of the assistant surgeons, with necessary offices; digging
the foundation of a house for the master boat-builder; and taking down
one of the old marine barracks, on the site of which the governor
proposed to erect a granary.
At Parramatta and Toongabbie the wheat was nearly all got in and secured.
At the latter of these places, a capital barn had been erected for its
reception, 90 feet in length, with a complete floor, on which eight or
nine pairs of thrashers could be employed without any inconvenience.
In order to mark the annual* increase, it may be proper to insert in this
place an account of the live-stock and land in cultivation at the close
of the year, belonging to government, the civil and military officers,
the settlers, and others.
[* Vide Vol I Ch. XXXII p 411, viz: 'ACCOUNT OF LIVE STOCK IN
THE POSSESSION OF GOVERNMENT AND THE CIVIL AND MILITARY OFFICERS OF THE
SETTLEMENT, ON THE 1ST OF SEPTEMBER 1796']
LIVE STOCK
Horses 26
Mares 58
Horned Cattle
Bulls and Oxen 132
Cows 195
Hogs 4247
Sheep
Male 743
Female 1714
Goats
Male 781
Female 1495
LAND IN CULTIVATION
Acres in Wheat 3361½
Acres for Maize 1527
Acres in Barley 26½
In addition to these, a considerable quantity of garden-ground was in
potatoes, callevances, and vines.