rebels. By mid-day on the 5th most of the weapons

scattered between Sydney and Parramatta had been taken to Sydney. At Parramatta King proclaimed the districts of Parramatta, Castle Hill, Toongabbe, Prospect, Seven and Baultham Hills,^ Hawkesbury, and Nepean, to be in a stale of rebellion, and established *' martial law throughout those districts*" All who might not assist in apprehending and giving up to a magistrate any one improvided with a pass were ** under pain of being tried by martial law/* Every person in rebellious opposition not giving himself up withiji twenty-four hours ** will be tried by court-martial, and suffer the sentence."" *'And if they or any of them give up the ringleaders to justice, it may be an effectual means of procuring theai that amnesty which it is so much my wish to grant/' Major Johnston's official report to his commanding officer was : —

• • . * . By hifl Excy. Governor King's orders I proceeded imniediately

to Parramatta, where we arrived at the dawn of day, I halted at the barracki) aboiit twenty minutes to refresh my party {two oncers, two Tgeants, and fifty-two rank and file), and then marched to Government ouae ; and agreeable to his Excellency's orders, divided my detachment, giving Lieut. Davies command of half, and taking Qiiartennaster La^cock and the other hull with on© trooper (Handlesai^k) and myself. Having the Governor's instructions to march m pursuit of the rebek— the Toongabbe Road — I proceeded that way, and directed Lieut, Davies to take the road towards Castle Hill. On my arrival at Toongabbe I was informed the rebels, in number about 400, were on the summit of the liilL I immediately detached a corporal with four privates and about six inhabitants armed with mniikets to take them in nauk, whilst I proceeded with the rest up the hill, when I found the rebels bad marched on for the Bawkeabury, and after a pursuit of about ten miles I got a sight of them. I immediately rodo forward, attended by the trooper and Mr. Dixon, the Roman Catholic priest, calling to them to halt ; that I wished to speak to them. They desu-ed that I would come into the middle of them, as their I oftpt aina were there, which I refused, observing to them that I was within ^^■j^p shot, and that it was in their power to kill me, and that their ^^^Hbns must have very little spirit if they would not come forward ^^l^Tpeak to me ; upon which two persons {Cunningham and JohnatonV advanced towards me as their leaders, to whom I represented the impropriety of their conduct, and advised them to surrender, and that I w^ould mention them in aa favourable terms as possible to the Governor. Cunningham replied that they would have death or liberty. Quartermaster IiaycooK with the detachment just then appearing in sightt I cUpped

• • In the printed proclamations first issued (some of which are extant)

"the Hawkeabury and Nepean" are added in Mii., by the hand of Governor King, There was evidently ao time to waste in cjorrecting the press. q ba