After being absent some days, they returned
and reported, that, having searched the country round, no traces were
seen of the cattle in any of the places where they had been accustomed to
range, nor did they meet with any white people; but the natives persisted
in asserting their having seen some of them among them, and added that
some of the calves had been run down by them. This was not impossible;
and the idea was somewhat strengthened, by their finding some short
spears pointed with the leg bone of the kangaroo, which were supposed to
be designed for stabbing the calves when caught. Although it was the
opinion of these people, that the cattle had quitted the part of the
country in which they had been so long known to graze, there was yet much
reason to believe that this was not the case; for, on visiting them, they
were not always to be found in one spot.
It will be sufficient to state the following circumstance, to show the
unpleasant and distressing situation of the principal officer of the
settlement, by the construction that was put on his endeavours to rectify
every abuse that the inhabitants might labour under.
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