1790 - A Tale Not Often Told by Pete Malicki
ACT ONE - Scene 1
A RECURRING NIGHTMARE; PHILLIP'S LETTER
James Freeman sits on a plain wooden chair as if sleeping. He
converses with two offstage voices, and while he does not fully open
his eyes or look up, he moves around in an agitated manner.
PROSECUT: Mister James Freeman, you are charged with stealing the
property of Michael Dennison, Robert Abel and William Waterhouse to
the sum of seven pounds of flour, value of fifteen pence. The court
finds you guilty of this charge and sentences you to death by
execution. God rest your soul.
FREEMAN: No. I am innocent!
PROSECUT: William Shearman, your accomplice who attempted to cook the
flour, has also been found guilty and will receive three hundred
lashes.
FREEMAN: It was not theft. I found the flour in the woods and gave it
to Shearman.
PROSECUT: The Governor has considered your plea for clemency but the
verdict of this court has not been altered.
PARSON: Mr Freeman, have you prepared yourself for the next world?
Unless you wish to bathe in an eternity of hellfire and brimstone you
must repent your sins now.
FREEMAN: No. Have mercy on me.
PARSON: This court has already found you guilty. You can only hope for
mercy in the next world.
FREEMAN: I will repent, but please spare me.
PARSON: The verdict cannot and will not be changed. Are you ready to
confess?
FREEMAN: (moaning) No.
PARSON: Say after me: Almighty God, please forgive me my sins before I
leave this world. (pause) Mr James Freeman, I suggest you repeat these
words if you wish to receive God's mercy. Say after me: Almighty
God/
PROSECUT: (urgently)/Parson, a message just received from the
Governor!
PARSON: What is it?
PROSECUT: Hear these words penned by his Excellency, the Governor:
"It is my decree that so long as James Freeman fulfils the role of
hangman in this settlement, his execution is deferred."
Guard enters, leading Davis and holding a rope. He wakes Freeman and
hands him the rope.
GUARD: Hangman, wake up. It is time.
FREEMAN: (Groggily; waking) Time?
GUARD: To hang convict Davis.
FREEMAN:I told you, I cannot hang a woman.
GUARD: If you refuse, you will be hanged yourself.
FREEMAN: But Davis said she is with child.
GUARD: That was false testimony.
FREEMAN: (to guard) How can you be sure?
GUARD: Twelve Matrons have determined it. Come now. We begin.
DAVIS: What if they are wrong?
GUARD: Your former friends condemn you as an incorrigible thief. Have
you anything to say?
DAVIS: I have nothing to repent, curse you!
Guard bustles Davis offstage, Freeman following.
GUARD: Hangman, perform your duty.
We hear muffled activity, then Davis shrieks “No” from offstage.
Lights down.
VO 3: From George the Third, to our trusty and well-beloved Captain
Arthur Phillip. With trust and confidence in your loyalty, courage,
and experience in military affairs, we constitute and appoint you to
be Governor of our territory called New South Wales, extending from
the northern cape or extremity of the coast called Cape York, in the
latitude of 10o37' South (fade out)
Lights slowly come up on Phillip, centre stage, during this voice
over. He is pacing slowly.
PHILLIP: (reading from a letter) Lord Sydney. My instructions did not
permit me to examine the coast to any considerable distance. It was
absolutely necessary to be certain of a sufficient quantity of fresh
water situated where the ships might approach within a reasonable
distance for the convenience of landing the stores and provisions.
There are parts of this harbour where the trees stand at a
considerable distance from each other and where there are small runs
of water, which shall be cultivated by the officers for raising a
little corn for their stock. I have endeavoured to promote them doing
this as much as possible, for I greatly fear the consequences if a
ship is lost whilst carrying provisions.
The laws of our Mother country will, of course, be introduced in New
South Wales and there is one that I would wish to take place from the
moment his Majesty's forces take possession of the country: That
there can be no slavery in a free land, and consequently no slaves.
Phillip nods to himself and paces off stage.
SCENE 2
TRICKED
Part 1 - Harbourside
Benelong followed by Colby simulate wading out to get fish, crossing
the stage.
BRADLEY: (offstage) Come share these fish with us, men!
Bennelong and Colby look at each other, clearly favourable towards the
prospect. They near the side of the stage.
BRADLEY: (offstage) We caught plenty today so you are most welcome to
have these.
Suddenly, the men are seized and pulled offstage. Major commotion.
Part 2 - Settlement
BRADLEY: It gave me no pleasure Collins, but the Governor advised me
he could see no other way. He said, "Somehow the barriers separating
us have to be broken down."
COLLINS: You do not doubt the Governor's judgement, I trust?
BRADLEY: No Sir. We captured two of the men as he ordered, but it was
by far the most unpleasant service I was ever ordered to execute.
COLLINS: He will be pleased.
BRADLEY: Young Nanbarry was there when we got ashore. He says they are
both well known and named them as Bennelong and Colby. The latter has
quite a high status.
COLLINS: Where are they now? Perhaps that girl
BRADLEY: Boorong.
COLLINS: Yes, Boorong. She can be sent to help Nanbarry persuade them
to settle in. She has recovered well enough from the sickness to be of
some use.
BRADLEY: They are with their minders. Nanbarry is staying to
interpret.
Bradley and Collins start walking off.
COLLINS: Tell me more about how you captured the two men, Bradley. I
would quite like to hear the finer details
Part 3
Bennelong and Colby. Bennelong is submissive to Colby. They sit in
silence before Colby spits out:
COLBY: Gullible.
BENNELNG: What?
COLBY: You let them fool you.
BENNELNG: So did you. You followed me!
COLBY: I was telling you to be careful. You forgot about Arabanoo
being seized.
BENNELNG: No, I did not.
COLBY: But our Mob back on shore were pathetic. Too slow to get
their spears ready and they abandoned us before we were out of sight.
Did you see them picking up the fishes we left behind?
BENNELNG: We can't do much about it now. Nanbarry says they are
going to feed us well here.
COLBY: (calling) Nanbarry, when is food ready?
NANBARRY: (offstage) It won't be long.
Boorong bursts into the room.
BOORONG: Uncle Colby, Bennelong, I am so excited to see you.
COLBY: Boorong, we are not excited. We were captured look at these
shackles.
BOORONG: I am sure they will take them off once you have settled in.
COLBY: If they wanted us to settle in they would not have taken us by
force.
BOORONG: Wait and see how well they look after you. Bennelong, how are
Barangaroo and your sister?
BENNELNG: They are well. They survived the sickness when so many did
not.
BOORONG: Arabanoo helped look after me when I was brought here. But he
got the sickness too and died.
COLBY: So few of us are left.
BOORONG: Who of my people are still alive?
BENNELNG: Your father, Bolaroo, Imaree and a few others.
BOORONG: What about Deedora and Milba? And Daringa?
COLBY: Deedora and Milba are dead but Daringa and her father are
well.
Boorong looks down, saddened. Bennelong talks to her to try to regain
her focus.
BENNELNG: Yesterday there was a corroboree, the first since the
sickness came. Most of the survivors from around the harbour were
there.
BOORONG: I wish I had been there. What was it for?
COLBY: Our elders called on the spirits to drive away the sickness.
They asked to have the presence of these newcomers explained, but the
result was unclear.
BOORONG: The newcomers have their own medicine man. He did his very
best to save those who had the sickness but Nanbarry and I were the
only survivors. Nanbarry lives with him now.
Gong sounds off stage.
NANBARRY: (offstage) Bennelong, Colby, come. Your tucker is ready.
BOORONG: I will see you tomorrow. There is so much more I want to ask
you.
Boorong bounds offstage, followed by a cautious Colby and Bennelong.
VO 4 (Tench): Repeated accounts brought by our boats of finding bodies
of the Indians in all the coves and inlets of the harbour caused the
gentlemen of our hospital to procure some of them for the purposes of
examination and anatomy. On inspection it appeared that all the
parties had died a natural death: pustules, similar to those
occasioned by the small pox, were thickly spread on the bodies.
SCENE 3
THE NIGHT WATCH
Nightwatchman (NWATCHM), Joseph Elliott, followed by Guard House
Officer (GUARD) and Voice off stage conveying authority of court of
law. Barangaroo appears, hidden in the foreground.
The stage is dark. An intruder creeps around, gathers up growth from
the ground. Nightwatchman enters.
NWATCHM: Who goes there? Stop, thief!
Both dash across stage. Nightwatchman catches intruder and takes a
dirty potato from his hand.
NWATCHM: Caught you red handed.
ELLIOTT: I was just passing by.
NWATCHM: Oh really? Why did you run away?
ELLIOTT: I was afraid.
NWATCHM: Of being caught?
ELLIOTT: Afraid you would shoot me.
NWATCHM: Probably better for you if I had. What's your name?
ELLIOTT: Joseph Elliott.
NWATCHM: Shame on you, thief. Not only did you steal our precious food
supplies, but you stole from the parson's garden. You know the
parson shares with those sick in hospital?
ELLIOTT: I didn't take anything.
NWATCHM: Let the Guard House Officer decide. Pick up that fork and
bag.
Nightwatchman calls out and the guard house officer enters carrying a
lamp.
GUARD: Who goes there?
NWATCHM: I apprehended this man in the parson's garden with these
potatoes.
ELLIOTT: I was just taking some night air.
GUARD: This is a matter to be dealt with by a duly convened court. You
will be reported to the Judge Advocate.
NWATCHM: Come on, Mister Elliott.
ELLIOTT: Please, have mercy. I did nothing wrong!
The guard leaves. Nightwatchman drags a reluctant Elliott offstage.
SCENE 4
THE FIRST ESCAPE
William and Roger, the two convict minders of Colby and Bennelong, are
on one side of the stage. Colby and Bennelong on the other side, tied
together by ropes. Attendant has a silent role.
MINDERS
WILLIAM: Wish I could understand what they are saying.
ROGER: Captain Tench translated a few words for me but not enough that
I can follow their conversation. But it's not your job to understand
them. Just make sure they do not escape.
WILLIAM: I don't think they could. They're tied up good.
ROGER: Ropes or not, William, do you want to be responsible if they
get away? The guard was late waking us yesterday and they don't always
look in during the night, so you'd better stay awake.
CAPTIVES
COLBY: They get sleepy after their meal.
Bennelong nods and grunts. Coby slides Bennelong a sharpened shell,
which he uses to saw at his ropes.
COLBY: We can outrun them if we head towards the bay.
BENNELNG: There is no moon tonight.
COLBY: That will work in our favour.
MINDERS
ROGER: What do you think they made of our visit to the brick kiln
today?
WILLIAM: I'm not sure. Their way of life is so different to ours. So
primitive and unsophisticated. But I tell you one thing: they know
where to fish.
ROGER: True. Nanbarry says the older one, Colby, is a very good
hunter.
WILLIAM: Not a bad thing that they are. Will Bryant has been sneaking
out to watch where their women go fishing in their canoes.
ROGER: Ah yes, poor Bryant. I was glad not to be involved when he got
caught selling fish on the side. He didn't like those hundred lashes.
CAPTIVES
BENNELNG: They have many strange customs, Colby, but there are some I
like. Having my beard cut off was great.
COLBY: You're as quick to abandon our customs as our mob was to
abandon us at the beach, Bennelong.
BENNELNG: It is not that simple. Their leader is very friendly. Our
tribe would become very powerful if we had an alliance with them. We
could raid the Cameragal and capture women to replace those who have
died. They would be scared of us.
COLBY: We are not free here.
MINDERS
Attendant appears with two mugs for minders. They sip gratefully on
some rum.
ROGER: (to attendant) Thank you.
WILLIAM: What do you think they're talking about?
ROGER: Probably no more than what they ate for their dinner. This rum
hits the spot.
WILLIAM: Maybe we should offer some to them. It might put them to
sleep.
ROGER: Are you? (looks back and forth between rum and William) Are
you serious?
WILLIAM: (considers) No?
Colby yawns and surreptitiously passes shell to Bennelong as moves
close to back edge of stage. Appears to settle down.
BENNELNG: Almost there. Just a little more time.
MINDERS
ROGER: What do you make of the Governor?
WILLIAM: (cautiously) I don't really think I know what I think of
him.
ROGER: Well I know. We are practically starving to death here and he
wants us to waste our time and energy with these natives. Surely our
lack of food and supplies is a bigger problem. Alright, his officers
get no more than us convicts, but all that means is none of us can eat
enough. So why are we sharing our highly limited resources with the
likes of Colby and Bennelong here?
WILLIAM: I suppose you have a point.
ROGER: You know what I really think? I think it would be better if the
two of them got up and disappeared.
Colby suddenly rises and bolts off stage. Pandemonium ensues. William
and Roger just manage to grab Bennelong, who is too panicked to
escape. They call and exclaim.
WILLIAM: Well, I guess that solves your problem eh Roger.
ROGER: (not amused) He was your responsibility, William. I told you he
was your responsibility!
WILLIAM: Mine? But you said/
ROGER: /Go and stop him!
William rushes off. Roger sits Bennelong down and re-ties his ropes.
[end of extract]