another barrel at him. Brought to bay by loss of blood, he leaned against a tree, and in impotent rage threw sticks at the advancing youth.
He was brought down to Hobart Town, and for a while his life was in jeopardy from his wounds. The ex-whaler Goodridge, who wrote an amusing book of his adventures, says of Mosquito: "This Negro was in gaol at Hobart Town at the period I was confined on the charge of being a runaway sailor from the King George."
The following particulars of the trial of Mosquito and Black Jack are related in the Hobart Town Gazette for December 1824:—
"Mosquito and Black Jack (the first a native of New South Wales, the latter born on the island) were placed at the bar, arraigned as principals in the second degree, for aiding and abetting in the wilful murder of William Holyoake, at Grindstone Bay, on the 15th of November, 1823.
"Plea—Not Guilty.
"The Attorney-General described the facts, and called John Radford, who deposed as follows:—
"I am, and for six years have been, a stock-keeper on the run of Mr. Silas Gatehouse, at Grindstone Bay. I had a fellow-servant, named Mammoa, who was a native of Otaheite. I knew the deceased. He was servant to Mr. George Meredith, at Swan Port, and came to our hut in November twelve months. He said he was returning home from the Colonial Hospital, where he had been an invalid, and begged permission to remain a day or two, as he was not very able to go further. He came on a Wednesday, between the 10th and 15th, and remained until the following Saturday. The morning after he came a party of the Natives arrived, with the prisoners at the bar. Their number was about 65. Some of them had spears, and sticks about two feet long; but some of the spears, which were wooden ones, might be six, and others twelve feet long. I asked whither he was going, and he said, "To Oyster Bay." He then begged for some provisions, and I told him to follow me into the hut, where he should have some bread and meat. After he had eaten some, I inquired how many Natives were with him. He answered he could not tell. I then asked if they would kill any of the sheep; he said, "No." Soon afterwards he retired for that night.
