In the evening of the 21st of November, Bannelong and his wife came to Sydney, and he requested leave to sleep in Governor Phillip's house, as there were a great number of people at Tubow-gule, the point on which their hut stood. Bannelong told the governor, that the Cammeragals had killed his friend, or relation, for we are not clear that these words in their language, which had been supposed to mean Father or Brother, are made use of by the natives in that sense: he said, they had burnt his body, which he seemed to lament; and being told, that Governor Phillip would take the soldiers and punish them, he prest him very much to go and kill them: indeed, from the first day he was able to make himself understood, he was desirous to have all the tribe of Cammeragal killed, yet he was along with that tribe when Governor Phillip was wounded, and, as hath already been observed, was seen with them since the loss of his friend, or brother.
After Bannelong and his wife had supped they retired to sleep in a back room, and he was particularly anxious for the governor to lock the door and put the key in his pocket; from which circumstance, it is probable he had other reasons for coming that evening to sleep at the governor's house, besides that of having a number of people at his own habitation.
When Governor Phillip's guests left him, the girl who lived with the clergyman went away with them, and slept at their hut, nor would she probably have returned till she was compelled by hunger, or had received a beating; but being seen the next morning in a canoe, fishing, she very readily returned with the person who had been sent to look after her.
Many of the small streams of water in different parts of the harbour were dried up, and at Sydney, the run of water was small, but it afforded sufficient for the use of the settlement; nor was there any reason to suppose they would ever want water. At Rose-Hill, the settlers never can be under any apprehensions on that head, and though from the stream being small in dry weather, the water has an unpleasant taste, occasioned by a number of dead trees falling into the brook, yet that may be prevented hereafter: it will also be necessary, at some future period, to make a dam across the creek, in order to prevent the tides making the water brackish at the lower part of it: when that is done, it will not be a difficult matter to carry a run of water at the back of those houses which are situated at the greatest distance from the brook.
A new store at Rose-Hill, which the workmen had been building for some time past, was tiled in on the 25th of November, and a barrack of the same dimensions (100 feet by 24 feet 6 inches) was immediately begun. At the latter end of the month, the weather was unsettled, with frequent showers of rain: most of the barley was now ripe, and they began to house it. The 3d of December was a day of constant rain, which continued during the night.
Governor Phillip had recently ordered a small hut to be built for his own accommodation at Rose-Hill, and he was going to remain there a few days, when several of the natives were desirous of accompanying him, amongst whom were Bannelong and Colebe: the governor got into his boat with three of them, and Bannelong, going to fetch his cloak, was detained by his wife; however, as they were going out of the cove, he appeared on the rocks, and got into the boat notwithstanding her threats; but, the moment the boat put off, she went to her canoe, which was a new one, and after driving her paddles through the bottom, she threw them into the water, and afterwards went off to their hut, probably to do more damage. The husband had endeavoured to pacify her, and promised several times not to be absent more than one night; as it was likely that he would prefer remaining behind, though he appeared unwilling to ask to be landed, it was proposed to him, and after picking up the paddles which his wife had thrown away, he was put on shore.
The governor then proceeded to Rose-Hill, with Colebe and two other natives, none of whom ever opened their lips during this altercation: indeed, none of these people have ever been seen to interfere with what did not immediately concern themselves.
The three natives slept that night at Rose-Hill, and though fed very plentifully, yet, the next morning, they were very desirous of returning; on this, Governor Phillip sent the boat down with them, on the return of which he fully expected to hear that mistress Barangaroo's head was under the care of the surgeon; but, to his great surprise, both she and her husband came up in the boat the next morning, and Bannelong said he had not beat her; but whether he was deterred by what had so frequently been said to him on the subject, or from some other cause, could not be known: however, a reconciliation had taken place, and they both dined with the governor in great good humour. Every thing this couple wished for was given them, and they had both fish and baggaray; but after dinner was over, the lady wanted to return, and Bannelong said she would cry if she was not permitted to go; so that late in the afternoon, the governor was obliged to send the boat down with them.
It is rather singular that none of the natives like Rose-Hill, probably because fish is seldom procured there: both Arrabannu and Bannelong, whilst they lived with Governor Phillip, always appeared to dislike going there, and after the first day, would be continually pressing him to return to Sydney.
Lieutenant Ball, who commanded the Supply, had been ill for some time; and when Governor Phillip returned from Rose-Hill on the 11th of December, the surgeon informed him that there were little hopes of Mr. Ball's recovery: at the same time he was told, that his game-keeper had been brought in so dangerously wounded by a spear, that there was little probability of saving his life.