Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/202

were tried by court-martial^[1] on the following morning. The first was sentenced to receive one hundred lashes, but was recommended to mercy. Of the other two, one was acquitted, and the other was sentenced to receive one hundred lashes, and to give Dring a gallon of rum. At the intercession of the settlers (including Dring) King remitted the corporal punishment, but the two soldiers still breathed revenge, and the one previously acquitted was again tried, and was sentenced to receive one hundred lashes. He received twelve lashes, the remainder being remitted by King, "as Her Majesty's birthday was approaching."

At about the same time a plot was discovered by which two soldiers and several convicts had arranged to escape from the island in a boat. The convicts were flogged, and the soldiers were in readiness to be sent to Sydney. King "directed every person in the island to be assembled," and harangued them on the advantage of maintaining harmony, promising equal protection and justice to all.

Following the example set by Phillip in 1789, in order to cheer the people, King had, as early as in May 1793, given permission to a soldier, several settlers, freemen, and convicts to hold theatrical performances. He thought it would promote cheerfulness and contentment in his lonely territory. About once a month plays were acted, an officer undertaking to see them conducted with propriety.

On the 18th Jan. 1794, Her Majesty's birthday, King with his family attended the performance. The soldiers, after the recent ill-feeling, were burning to display their independence. Sergeant Whittle was forward in resisting the authority of the constable who acted as manager.

King had retired to his house after the play was over, when a tumult was heard. He sent the sergeant of the guard to disperse the people, but the tumult continued. The keeper of the granary ran to implore King to prevent murder. King himself heard a shout, "Put every man to death," and saw men running with weapons in their hands (they were men of the New South Wales Corps with bayonets). He hurried to the fray, seized the man he had heard shouting, and delivered him to the sergeant. Asking