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[Page 7]
if we weight this matter truly, what evils does it not produce upon the community. From what has already been said, we need not wonder of the present acts of violence being committed. And as long as this self interested policy, and the world of characters are permitted to be out of the bounds of the police, we must not look for any other.
I shall conclude in an affair which has happened with me. I had a man that when he first came to me was glad of my place, as with me he was not under so much constraint. I let him begin work when he had a mind, and to leave of the same. I allowed him vegetables out of the garden, and in course of time he did not fail to take the best. By this time, as many others that had come in the same ship had got of this story, he wanted to do the same, but to this I would not give consent. Afterwards, if I found any fault with his work, he would tell me why did not I change him. If I had done this, I well knew that an acquaintance of his, a prisoner settler would apply to get him of the stores. Not to say, that I kept him through any self views, but merely because I did not like to be continual changing. At length he began secretly to rob me of vegetables, yet this I did not let him know that I was acquainted with, but determined I would part with him at last. Having fixed of going to Van Dieman's Land, I could not think of changing him then, but I should have a worse to trust in my absence. I therefore told him, that if he behaved himself well, & took care of the place, I would agree for his going of the store, & try what I could do for him in this case. But so, when I returned, I found he had plundered the garden compleatly; yet still he had the imprudence to ask me for what I had promised. I then accused him how he had robbed me, and immediately returned him to government.
A few nights afterwards I was awoked out of a sound sleep all on a sudden, by the cry of somebody being among the fowls; I directly went to see what was the matter, and out rushed two men, who instantly took to their huts, I fired right at them, but as I had charged the gun for a small bird