第22章

Gradually,however,he warmed into friendship and frankness,and presently after Colbee came up.They discoursed for some time,Baneelon expressing pleasure to see his old acquaintance,and inquiring by name for every person whom he could recollect at Sydney;and among others for a French cook,one of the governor's servants,whom he had constantly made the butt of his ridicule,by mimicking his voice,gait,and other peculiarities,all of which he again went through with his wonted exactness and drollery.

He asked also particularly for a lady from whom he had once ventured to snatch a kiss;and on being told that she was well,by way of proving that the token was fresh in his remembrance,he kissed Lieutenant Waterhouse,and laughed aloud.On his wounds being noticed,he coldly said,that he had received them at Botany Bay,but went no farther into their history.

Hatchets still continued to be called for with redoubled eagerness,which rather surprised us,as formerly they had always been accepted with indifference.But Baneelon had probably demonstrated to them their superiority over those of their own manufacturing.To appease their importunity,the governor gave them a knife,some bread,pork,and other articles,and promised that in two days he would return hither,and bring with him hatchets to be distributed among them,which appeared to diffuse general satisfaction.

Baneelon's love of wine has been mentioned;and the governor,to try whether it still subsisted,uncorked a bottle,and poured out a glass of it,which the other drank off with his former marks of relish and good humour,giving for a toast,as he had been taught,"The King."

Our party now advanced from the beach but,perceiving many of the Indians filing off to the right and left,so as in some measure to surround them,they retreated gently to their old situation,which produced neither alarm or offence.The others by degrees also resumed their former position.

A very fine barbed spear of uncommon size being seen by the governor,he asked for it.But Baneelon,instead of complying with the request,took it away,and laid it at some distance,and brought back a throwing-stick,which he presented to his excellency.

Matters had proceeded in this friendly train for more than half an hour,when a native,with a spear in his hand,came forward,and stopped at the distance of between twenty and thirty yards from the place where the governor,Mr.Collins,Lieutenant Waterhouse,and a seaman stood.

His excellency held out his hand,and called to him,advancing towards him at the same time,Mr.Collins following close behind.He appeared to be a man of middle age,short of stature,sturdy,and well set,seemingly a stranger,and but little acquainted with Baneelon and Colbee.The nearer the governor approached,the greater became the terror and agitation of the Indian.To remove his fear,governor Phillip threw down a dirk,which he wore at his side.The other,alarmed at the rattle of the dirk,and probably misconstruing the action,instantly fixed his lance in his throwing-stick.

[Such preparation is equal to what cocking a gun,and directing it at its object,would be with us.To launch the spear,or to touch the trigger,only remains.]

To retreat,his excellency now thought would be more dangerous than to advance.

He therefore cried out to the man,Weeeree,Weeree,(bad;you are doing wrong)displaying at the same time,every token of amity and confidence.

The words had,however,hardly gone forth,when the Indian,stepping back with one foot,aimed his lance with such force and dexterity,that striking the governor's right shoulder,just above the collar-bone,the point glancing downward,came out at his back,having made a wound of many inches long.The man was observed to keep his eye steadily fixed on the lance until it struck its object,when he directly dashed into the woods and was seen no more.

[His excellency described the shock to me as similar to a violent blow,with such energy was the weapon thrown.]