Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/215

In Sept, 1795 Governor John Hunter reached Sydney by H.M.S. Reliance, in which George Bass was surgeon and Flinders was midshipman. The interest he displayed in the colony and the recommendation of Lord Howe procured for Hunter the appointment of Governor, although the retiring Phillip suggested that King was the fittest man for the office. Hunter took back to the colony Bennilong, the native taken by Phillip to England. He received Royal instructions in England, with a provident despatch from Mr. Dundas, as to Ins multifarious duties as Governor.

It does not appear that be was able to stem the tide of drunkenness and debauchery which was sweeping over the land. There was indeed a curious mixture of reprehension and encouragement in the conduct of the government with regard to the love of spirits. The minute journal of Collins informs us of "the strange design" of some persona to apply to the Governor for a license to distil spirits. "A practice so iniquitous and ruinous, being not only a direct disobedience of His Majesty's commands, but destructive of the welfare of the colony in general, the Governor in the most positive manner forbade," and several stills were found and destroyed. At that very time the same chronicler informs us that the Governor could think of no better way to arrest a bushranger than by offering "as a reward five gallons of spirits."

Hunter seems to have been conscious of want of decision, and vainly to have tried to produce an impression that he