"Blood Revenge examines the first time that white men were held to account in a criminal court of New South Wales for killing Australian Aborigines.

It happened in 1799, just 11 years after the New South Wales colony began. This book answers the disturbing question: Why were five men found guilty of killing two Aborigines--yet they were never punished? The story lays bare the nature of black-white relations at the colony's Hawkesbury River frontier settlement.

Governor John Hunter tried to carry out his orders and stop the wanton killing of Aborigines. Inevitably, there was a divide between policy and practice. In Blood Revenge the politics of this murder case reads like a missing chapter of Doc Evatt's Rum Rebellion."--Back cover.

Contents:
The death of Hodginson and Wimbo -- the Argyle Reach settlers -- Hawkesbury aborigines encounter British colonists -- Violence escalates -- An unusual charge for murder -- The trial begins -- The evening of the murders - the evidence -- Evidence from New South Wales Corps -- The defence -- The [politics - Govenor Hunter, Mr Dore and the New South wales Corps -- The reckoning, the verdict, Hunter's response and the outcome -- Conclusions.

Includes bibliographical references and index.