the settlement. When brought in he declared, and at a time when he
thought himself dying, that he did not give any offence to the man who
wounded him; that he had even quitted his arms, to induce him to look
upon him as a friend, when the savage threw his spear at about the
distance of ten yards with a skill that was fatally unerring. When the
spear was extracted, which was not until suppuration took place, it was
found to have entered his body under the left arm, to the depth of seven
inches and a half. It was armed for five or six inches from the point
with ragged pieces of shells fastened in gum. His recovery was
immediately pronounced by Mr. White to be very doubtful.

[* His name was readily obtained from the natives who lived among us, and
who soon became acquainted with the circumstances.]

As the attack on this man was wanton, and entirely unprovoked on the part
of McIntire, not only from his relation of the circumstance, but from the
account of those who were with him, and who bore testimony to his being
unarmed, the governor determined to punish the offender, who it was
understood resorted with his tribe above the head of Botany Bay. He
therefore directed that an armed party from the garrison should march
thither, and either destroy or make prisoners of six persons (if
practicable) of that tribe to which the aggressor belonged, carefully
avoiding to offer any injury to either women or children. To this measure
the governor resorted with reluctance. He had always wished that none of
their blood might ever be shed; and in his own case, when wounded by
Wille-me-ring, as he could not punish him on the spot, he gave up all
thoughts of doing it in future. As, however, they seemed to take every
advantage of unarmed men, some check appeared absolutely necessary.
Accordingly, on Tuesday the 14th a party, consisting of two captains,
Tench, of the marines, and Hill of the New South Wales corps, with two