Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/430

keeping it secret from Atkins; that Bligh desired to include the charge about importation of a still, and that when Crossley thought it useless Bligh gave positive orders for its inclusion. Other circumstances caused the information to be dropped, but Atkins heard of it from Crossley. It was intended to revive it, Atkins said, amongst general charges, but in the meantime a breach of the port regulations was put forward in order to lay hold of the victim.

A schooner, the Parramatta, of which Macarthur was part owner, had gone to Tahiti, and an escaped convict had gone thither in her, although she had been searched by the myrmidons of the Provost-Marshal at Sydney before sailing. The missionaries at Tahiti complained of the intrusion of the convict, and proceedings were taken against the Parramatta for breach of the port regulations established by Governor King. The owners were condemned, and their bond for £900 (taken on arrival of the vessel from England, and binding her owners to obey the port orders) was declared to be forfeit. Macarthur asserted that the convict had concealed himself, and was not willingly carried away. He appealed, but the Governor refused to interfere with the forfeiture.

The owners refused to pay the penalty; the port officers prevented the landing of any cargo, and put constables on board the vessel. Macarthur thereupon elected to abandon the vessel, and told the master and the crew that he had no more to do with her. The port regulations forbade seamen to absent themselves from their ship and to remain on shore, and the master of the Parramatta made an affidavit to the effect that he was compelled to leave the ship by reason of Macarthur's abandonment of her. It is not easy to see the relevancy of this statement, because if the vessel was forfeited to the government it was manifestly necessary for the master to arrange with the government as to the terms on which he could remain in or leave the ship.

The Judge-Advocate, Atkins, by command of Bligh, desired Macarthur "to show cause" as to his having "deprived the seamen of their usual allowance of provisions," and thus compelled them to leave the ship. Macarthur replied (from Parramatta) that the Judge-Advocate