After this business was over, most of them returned and sat down in the yard at the back of Governor Phillip's house; but Bannelong went into the house as usual, and finding the governor writing, sat down by him: he appeared very much out of humour, and frequently said that he was going to beat a woman with a hatchet which he held in his hand: it was impossible to persuade him to say he would not beat her, and after some time he got up, saying that he could not dine with the governor, as he was going to beat the woman.
Governor Phillip then insisted on going with him, to which he made no objection, though he was given to understand that he would not be suffered to beat any woman, and they set off for his hut at the point. The governor took his orderly serjeant along with him, and they were joined by the judge advocate.
Though Bannelong had frequently said he would kill the woman, when Governor Phillip was endeavouring to persuade him not to beat her, yet, it could not be believed that he had any such intention; nor did they suppose there would be much trouble in preventing his beating her; however, fearing he might strike her a blow with the hatchet which must have been fatal, it was taken from him before they got to the hut, and as he seemed unwilling to part with it, the governor gave him his cane; but his expressions and his countenance soon made them think even the cane too much for him to be trusted with, and that was taken from him also.
On their arrival at the hut, they found five men, two youths, and several women and children: some of these people were on the grass before the door of the hut, and though the governor fixed his eyes on Bannelong, in order to find out the object of his revenge, and whom he determined to protect, yet this furious savage seized a wooden sword, and struck a young female, who was either asleep, or seeing him coming had hid her face, over the head, and repeated his blow before the weapon could be wrested from him; he then got a hatchet, which was likewise taken away.
Reasoning with him was now out of the question; the savage fury which took possession of him when he found himself kept from the girl, who was lying senseless, is not to be described: he had now got another wooden sword, but the judge-advocate and the serjeant held him, and what passed being observed from the Supply, Lieutenant Ball and the surgeon of the hospital, came over to the spot armed, and the poor girl was put into the boat without any opposition on the part of the natives, who had armed themselves the moment they saw Governor Phillip and his party interfere, and one of them repeatedly pressed him to give Bannelong the hatchets and sword which had been taken from him.
None of these people, either men or women, (the two youths excepted, who appeared to be much frightened,) showed the least concern at the girl's fate, though they must have known, that Bannelong intended to kill her, and they certainly armed in his defence.
When the boat was gone off with the girl, our party returned to the governor's house, several of the native men and boys joining them, as well as Bannelong; and, after some time, when his passion began to subside, Governor Phillip gave him to understand, that he was exceedingly angry with him for attempting to kill a woman, and tried to divert him from his purpose by threats, telling him that if he did kill her, or even beat her any more, he should lose his life; but threats had no greater effect than entreaties, and all his answers showed that he thought himself greatly injured by having his victim taken from him; saying that she was his, that her father was the man who had wounded him over the eye, that all their tribe were bad, and that the governor should see he would kill her; and when the judge-advocate reasoned with him, and told him that if he killed the girl the governor would kill him, he marked with his finger those parts of the head, breast, and arms, where he said he would wound her, before he cut her head off: in this resolution he went away, and the girl was removed in the evening from the Supply to Governor Phillip's house, where a young man who lived with Bannelong desired to remain with her, and, from the tenderness he showed her when Bannelong was not present, was supposed to be her husband; though he had not dared to open his lips, or even to look dissatisfied, when her life was in danger.
Several of the natives came to see this girl, and (except the supposed husband) they all appeared very desirous that she might return to the hut, though they must have known that she would be killed; and, what is not to be accounted for, the girl herself appeared desirous of going.
After an absence of two days, Bannelong returned to the governor's house, apparently in good humour, and said he would not beat the girl; at the same time he gave them to understand, that he had again beat his wife about the head, and that he had received a severe blow on the shoulder from a club in return; on this, Governor Phillip proposed their going to the hospital to have his own shoulder and his wife's head drest, but this he refused, saying, that White (the surgeon) would shoot him, and that he durst not sleep in the house which had been built for him, as the surgeon would shoot him in the night.
This story was not told without many threats on his part; and during the recital, he twice went out to fetch a spear, which the governor had made him leave in a back room, in order to show that he was not afraid, and that he would use it if he saw the surgeon; however, Governor Phillip soon convinced him that he was not to be shot unless he killed the girl, or threw spears at the white men. The moment Bannelong was satisfied that the surgeon was still his friend, he said he would go to him for a plaister for his shoulder, and another for his wife's head; but, as the governor wished to be present when they first met, he sent for the surgeon, whom Bannelong received as usual, gave him part of what he was eating, and went with him to the hospital; after which, he went to the surgeon's house, and the girl being there to whom he had lately shown so much animosity, he took her by the hand, and spoke to her in a friendly manner.