Hiinter could not entertain them/'^ and Mar*,'arot made defamatory entries about hixu in his journal althongh, when King became CTOvernor, Margarot addressed him thus : — '•Sydney, lath May, 1800. " Sii% — Hazai"di>us as is this step, my duty to society urges me to take I it and to couliile in yuuv lUscretion ; otherwjae delicacy towards liin KxceUeiiny Governor Umiter, whose most sincere well- wisher I am, would prevent my paying my respects to his successor aiitiU by his departure, ftnd by the introduction of Mr. Coinmiasary Palmer, I couUi do so more conformably to rules and forms. As I am much coiitiiied by sickness, tinlessyou are posisessed of any private orders of ministry relative to nie, and retiiiire my attendance to impart them, there is little chance of my having the good fortune to meet with an opportiuiity of conversing with you. Yet if you feel inclitied to give birth to any accident which may occasion you at antj time to enter my habitation, you shall find that an hour will not be there spent unprotitahly, and that I can throw light on several of the transactlojis of this c< jinny which may not perhaps have reached you in tlie shape they will then assume. 1, moreover, miU then submit to your perusal several papers tUe contents of which it is important I you should be early aecjuainterl with. "I subscribe myself with great respect. Sir,
- ' Maurice Maruakot.**
Iving paid no attention to thia missive, and Margarot in liis secret journals coarsely assailed the Governor and his family. Mr. Commissary Palmer fared no better. Constantly Margarot records the receipt of kiudnesses from Palmer, but hh constantly records false charges against him. Margarot wrote : — " 1801. May 9. La courte ration commen(;a. May 19. Palmer m'envoya sept livres de beurre et qiiatre et demi gallons de Rum ; Smith m'envoya demander une B de Rum ! ! ! |k The wife, who is stated by the Scotch writer to have died ^1 of grief, was sometimes a thorn in the flesh to the ^ ** martyi'," for w^e iind him writing — ^* Jour maudit de blanchissage and Betsey humeur de diable.*' This hybrid politician, who would dethrone the law in England, appealed to it in Sydney. The records of the '^ Hunter, though he did not accede to the request of Marcarot, appears to have l>een somewhat puzuled by a demand of freedom for Muir, Palmer, and Skirving on the gromid that on landing in 8y rlney they were free to go to any i^art of the world except <U'eat Britain. He wrote, ** I am obUged to confess, my lord, that I cannot feel myself justified in forcibly detaining them in this country against their consent,-' He asked the Secretary of State to instruct him.
