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
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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