governor by Bennillong to return in two days with more, and also with
some hatchets or tomahawks. The cove was full of natives allured by the
attractions of a whale feast; and it being remarked during the conference
that the twenty or thirty which appeared were drawing themselves into a
circle round the governor and his small unarmed party (for that was
literally and most inexcusably their situation) the governor proposed
retiring to the boat by degrees; but Bennillong, who had presented to him
several natives by name, pointed out one, whom the governor, thinking to
take particular notice of, stepped forward to meet, holding out both his
hands toward him. The savage not understanding this civility, and perhaps
thinking that he was going to seize him as a prisoner, lifted a spear
from the grass with his foot, and fixing it on his throwing-stick, in an
instant darted it at the governor. The spear entered a little above the
collar bone, and had been discharged with such force, that the barb of it
came through on the other side. Several other spears were thrown, but
happily no further mischief was effected. The spear was with difficulty
broken by Lieutenant Waterhouse, and while the governor was leading down
to the boat the people landed with the arms, but of four muskets which
they brought on shore one only could be fired.

The boat had five miles to row before it reached the settlement; but the
people in her exerting themselves to the utmost, the governor was landed
and in his house in something less than two hours. The spear was
extracted with much skill by Mr. Balmain, one of the assistant-surgeons
of the hospital, who immediately pronounced the wound not mortal. An
armed party was dispatched that evening toward Broken Bay for Mr. White,
the principal surgeon, who returned the following day, and reported that
in the cove where the whale lay they saw several natives; but being armed
nothing had happened.