An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 2: An Account Of The English Colony In New South Wales, From Its First Settlement In 1788, To August 1801: With Remarks On The Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. Of The Native Inhabitants Of That Country. To Which Are Added, Some Particulars Of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From The Mss. Of Lieutenant-Governor King; And An Account Of The Voyage Performed By Captain Flinders And Mr. Bass.Collins, David
History
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 2: An Account Of The English Colony In New South Wales, From Its First Settlement In 1788, To August 1801: With Remarks On The Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. Of The Native Inhabitants Of That Country. To Which Are Added, Some Particulars Of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From The Mss. Of Lieutenant-Governor King; And An Account Of The Voyage Performed By Captain Flinders And Mr. Bass.
Collins, David
New South Wales -- Description and travel
On the 20th of this month the settlement were spectators of a severe
contest which took place between two parties of natives; one of which was
desirous of revenging the death of a friend, who had been killed by some
native of a part of the country from which a young man had just then
accidentally come amongst them. He was therefore immediately devoted to
their vengeance. Finding their determination, he most gallantly stood up,
and, being attacked by numbers, defended himself with the greatest
bravery and address, until, being wounded in several places, he fell. As
he lay upon the ground, several of his opponents treacherously rushed in
upon him, and stabbed him repeatedly with a pointed stick, which they
call a Doo-ul. In this situation he endeavoured to cover himself with his
shield, on which, having risen from the ground, and being again attacked,
he received their spears for some time with great dexterity, until some
one, less brave and more treacherous than the rest, took a station
unobserved on one side, and launched a spear, which went into his back
and there remained. Seeing this, they were proceeding a second time to
rush in upon him, when he had just strength enough left to make his
escape into an adjoining house, where he received shelter, and from the
severity of his wounds immediately fainted.
The spear was withdrawn, and his wounds dressed, by one of the surgeons
who happened to be present; and in a few days he was able to walk about
again. His brother, who had accompanied him to the field of battle, stood
up in his defence, and was wounded in the leg and thigh.
The principal sufferer in this affair was known in the settlement by the
name of William and Ann (corrupted by their pronunciation to
Wil-lam-an-nan) which he had adopted from a ship of the same name that
arrived here in the year 1791.
Several of their women attended upon this occasion, and, as is common
with them, howled and cried alternately during the most of the time; but
when they were enraged, which often happened, they danced, and beat their
sides with their arms; a certain proof of their passions being wrought up
to the highest pitch.
Shortly after this, these people again exhibited themselves to the notice
of the settlement, but in a very different point of view. On the 31st, an
open boat arrived from the Hawkesbury, with a cargo of Indian corn,
having been boarded in her passage down by a party of natives in canoes.
Assuming an appearance of friendship, they were suffered to come into the
boat, when, watching an opportunity, they threw off the mask, and made an
attempt to seize the small arms. This occasioned a struggle, in which the
boat's crew prevailed, but not before some of these unexpected pirates
had paid for their rashness with their lives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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