[Page 37]
[sett]lers at that place by surprize, and that they would be joined by others, and cause a deal of mischief to be done in the country. But as it happened they did but little farther mischief. Large parties were sent in quest of them, and by informing the natives what they wanted, the latter soon traced them out, and they were apprehended by the former. They are all in confinement, but have not yet been tried.* It seems they had been too free with the french man's wine, as they were divided into three or four parties, and apprehended in different places.
I am much inclined to think, that if men of fortune and abilities, with decent salaries, were to have the ruling and management of this colony, it would be found to answer. For men of such description would be more careful of their honor, than to let it be stigmatized with low and mean actions. But upon most of the present I can safely say, that they are aiming at filling their purses with money; and by being intoxicated with power, they and having the controul of convicts, together with being unacquainted with a counterbalancing power, has led them so far astray.
* They have since been tried, and I believe 13 were cast for death, but 3 were only left for execution. They were taken to be executed at Castle Hill, the place which they had absconded from. It seems that 2 of them were only designed to be executed, as at the gallows 2 of were permitted to cast lots for a reprieve, but the one that was reckoned the most notorious was not allowed the indulgence of such a chance, which appears to me to be quite novel as well as singular!
A79-1