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diff --git a/old/tetbb10.txt b/old/tetbb10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..764f3ce --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tetbb10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2750 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Expedition to Botany Bay, by Tench +#2 in our series by Watkin Tench + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.08.01*END** +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by Col Choat. colc@sanderson.net.au + + + + + + +A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay + +by Watkin Tench + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + + +In offering this little tract to the public, it is equally the writer's wish +to conduce to their amusement and information. + +The expedition on which he is engaged has excited much curiosity, +and given birth to many speculations, respecting the consequences to arise +from it. While men continue to think freely, they will judge variously. +Some have been sanguine enough to foresee the most beneficial effects +to the Parent State, from the Colony we are endeavouring to establish; +and some have not been wanting to pronounce the scheme big with folly, +impolicy, and ruin. Which of these predictions will be completed, +I leave to the decision of the public. I cannot, however, dismiss the subject +without expressing a hope, that the candid and liberal of each opinion, +induced by the humane and benevolent intention in which it originated, +will unite in waiting the result of a fair trial to an experiment, +no less new in its design, than difficult in its execution. + +As this publication enters the world with the name of the author, +candour will, he trusts, induce its readers to believe, that no consideration +could weigh with him in an endeavour to mislead them. Facts are related +simply as they happened, and when opinions are hazarded, they are such as, +he hopes, patient inquiry, and deliberate decision, will be found +to have authorised. For the most part he has spoken from actual observation; +and in those places where the relations of others have been +unavoidably adopted. he has been careful to search for the truth, +and repress that spirit of exaggeration which is almost ever the effect +of novelty on ignorance. + +The nautical part of the work is comprized in as few pages as possible. +By the professional part of my readers this will be deemed judicious; +and the rest will not, I believe, be dissatisfied at its brevity. +I beg leave, however, to say of the astronomical calculations, that they may +be depended on with the greatest degree of security, as they were communicated +by an officer, who was furnished with instruments, and commissioned +by the Board of Longitude, to make observations during the voyage, +and in the southern hemisphere. + +An unpractised writer is generally anxious to bespeak public attention, +and to solicit public indulgence. Except on professional subjects, +military men are, perhaps, too fearful of critical censure. +For the present narrative no other apology is attempted, than the intentions +of its author, who has endeavoured not only to satisfy present curiosity, +but to point out to future adventurers, the favourable, as well as adverse +circumstances which will attend their settling here. The candid, it is hoped, +will overlook the inaccuracies of this imperfect sketch, drawn amidst +the complicated duties of the service in which the Author is engaged, +and make due allowance for the want of opportunity of gaining +more extensive information. + +Watkin Tench, Capt. of the Marines. + +Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, New South Wales, 10 July, 1788. + + + + + +CHAPTER I + + + +From the Embarkation of the Convicts, to the Departure +of the Ships from England. + + +The marines and convicts having been previously embarked in the River, +at Portsmouth, and Plymouth, the whole fleet destined for the expedition +rendezvoused at the Mother Bank, on the 16th of March 1787, and remained there +until the 13th of May following. In this period, excepting a slight appearance +of contagion in one of the transports, the ships were universally healthy, +and the prisoners in high spirits. Few complaints or lamentations +were to be heard among them, and an ardent wish for the hour of departure +seemed generally to prevail. + +As the reputation, equally with the safety of the officers and soldiers +appointed to guard the convicts, consisted in maintaining due subordination, +an opportunity was taken, immediately on their being embarked, +to convince them, in the most pointed terms, that any attempt on their side, +either to contest the command, or to force their escape, should be punished +with instant death; orders to this effect were given to the centinels +in their presence; happily, however, for all parties, there occurred not any +instance in which there was occasion to have recourse to so desperate +a measure; the behavior of the convicts being in general humble, submissive, +and regular: indeed I should feel myself wanting in justice to those +unfortunate men, were I not to bear this public testimony of the sobriety +and decency of their conduct. + +Unpleasant as a state of inactivity and delay for many weeks appeared to us, +it was not without its advantages; for by means of it we were enabled +to establish necessary regulations among the convicts, and to adopt +such a system of defence, as left us little to Apprehend for our own security, +in case a spirit of madness and desperation had hurried them on +to attempt our destruction. + +Among many other troublesome parts of duty which the service we were engaged on +required, the inspection of all letters brought to, or sent from the ships, +was not one of the least tiresome and disagreeable. The number and contents +of those in the vessel I was embarked in, frequently surprised me very much; +they varied according to the dispositions of the writers: but their constant +language was, an apprehension of the impracticability of returning home, +the dread of a sickly passage, and the fearful prospect of a distant +and barbarous country. But this apparent despondency proceeded +in few instances from sentiment. With too many it was, doubtless, an artifice +to awaken compassion, and call forth relief; the correspondence +invariably ending in a petition for money and tobacco. Perhaps a want +of the latter, which is considered a great luxury by its admirers +among the lower classes of life, might be the more severely felt, +from their being debarred in all cases whatever, sickness excepted, +the use of spirituous liquors. + +It may be thought proper for me to mention, that during our stay +at the Mother Bank, the soldiers and convicts were indiscriminately served +with fresh beef. The former, in addition, had the usual quantity of beer +allowed in the navy, and were at what is called full allowance of all species +of provisions; the latter, at two thirds only. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + +From the Departure, to the Arrival of the Fleet at Teneriffe. + + +Governor Phillip having at length reached Portsmouth, and all things +deemed necessary for the expedition being put on board, at daylight +on the morning of the 13th, the signal to weigh anchor was made in the +Commanding Officer's ship the Sirius. Before six o'clock the whole fleet +were under sail; and, the weather being fine and wind easterly, proceeded +through the Needles with a fresh leading breeze. In addition to our +little armament, the Hyena frigate was ordered to accompany us a certain +distance to the westward, by which means our number was increased to +twelve sail: His Majesty's ships 'Sirius', 'Hyena', and 'Supply', three Victuallers +with two years stores and provisions on board for the Settlement, +and six Transports, with troops and convicts. In the transports were embarked +four captains, twelve subalterns, twenty-four serjeants and corporals, +eight drummers, and one hundred and sixty private marines, making the whole +of the military force, including the Major Commandant and Staff on board +the Sirius, to consist of two hundred and twelve persons, of whom +two hundred and ten were volunteers. The number of convicts was +five hundred and sixty-five men, one hundred and ninety-two women, +and eighteen children; the major part of the prisoners were mechanics +and husbandmen, selected on purpose by order of Government. + +By ten o'clock we had got clear of the Isle of Wight, at which time, +having very little pleasure in conversing with my own thoughts, I strolled +down among the convicts, to observe their sentiments at this juncture. +A very few excepted, their countenances indicated a high degree +of satisfaction, though in some, the pang of being severed, perhaps for ever, +from their native land, could not be wholly suppressed; in general, +marks of distress were more perceptible among the men than the women; +for I recollect to have seen but one of those affected on the occasion, +"Some natural tears she dropp'd, but wip'd them soon." After this the accent +of sorrow was no longer heard; more genial skies and change of scene +banished repining and discontent, and introduced in their stead cheerfulness +and acquiescence in a lot, now not to be altered. + +To add to the good disposition which was beginning to manifest itself, +on the morning of the 20th, in consequence of some favorable representations +made by the officers commanding detachments, they were hailed and told +from the Sirius, that in those cases where they judged it proper, +they were at liberty to release the convicts from the fetters in which +they had been hitherto confined. In complying with these directions, +I had great pleasure in being able to extend this humane order to the whole +of those under my charge, without a single exception. It is hardly necessary +for me to say, that the precaution of ironing the convicts at any time +reached to the men only. + +In the evening of the same day, the Hyena left us for England, which afforded +an early opportunity of writing to our friends, and easing their apprehensions +by a communication of the favourable accounts it was in our power to send them. + +From this time to the day of our making the land, little occurred +worthy of remark. I cannot, however, help noticing the propriety of employing +the marines on a service which requires activity and exertion at sea, +in preference to other troops. Had a regiment recruited since the war +been sent out, sea-sickness would have incapacitated half the men +from performing the duties immediately and indispensably necessary; +whereas the marines, from being accustomed to serve on board ship, +accommodated themselves with ease to every exigency, and surmounted +every difficulty. + +At daybreak, on the morning of the 30th of May we saw the rocks named +the Deserters, which lie off the south-east end of Madeira; and found +the south-east extremity of the most southerly of them, to be in the latitude +of 32 deg 28 min north, longitude 16 deg 17 1/2 min west of Greenwich. +The following day we saw the Salvages, a cluster of rocks which are placed +between the Madeiras and Canary Islands, and determined the latitude +of the middle of the Great Salvage to be 30 deg 12 min north, and the longitude +of its eastern side to be 15 deg 39 min west. It is no less extraordinary +than unpardonable, that in some very modern charts of the Atlantic, +published in London, the Salvages are totally omitted. + +We made the island of Teneriffe on the 3d of June, and in the evening +anchored in the road of Santa Cruz, after an excellent passage +of three weeks from the day we left England. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + +From the Fleet's Arrival at Teneriffe, to its Departure +for Rio de Janeiro, in the Brazils. + + +There is little to please a traveller at Teneriffe. He has heard wonders +of its celebrated Peak, but he may remain for weeks together at the town +of Santa Cruz without having a glimpse of it, and when its cloud-topped head +emerges, the chance is, that he feels disappointed, for, from the point of view +in which he sees it, the neighbouring mountains lessen its effect +very considerably. Excepting the Peak, the eye receives little pleasure +from the general face of the country, which is sterile and uninviting +to the last degree. The town, however, from its cheerful white appearance, +contrasted with the dreary brownness of the back ground, makes not an +unpleasing coup d'oeil. It is neither irregular in its plan, nor despicable +in its style of building; and the churches and religious houses are numerous, +sumptuous, and highly ornamented. + +The morning of our arrival, as many officers as could be spared from +the different ships were introduced to the Marquis de Brancifort, +Governor of the Canary Islands, whose reception was highly flattering +and polite. His Excellency is a Sicilian by birth, and is most deservedly +popular in his government. He prefers residing at Teneriffe, +for the conveniency of frequent communication with Europe, to the Grand Canary, +which is properly the seat of power; and though not long fixed here, +has already found means to establish a manufactory in cotton, silk, and thread, +under excellent regulations, which employs more than sixty persons, +and is of infinite service to the common people. During our short stay +we had every day some fresh proof of his Excellency's esteem and attention, +and had the honour of dining with him, in a style of equal elegance +and splendor. At this entertainment the profusion of ices which appeared +in the desert was surprising, considering that we were enjoying them +under a sun nearly vertical. But it seems the caverns of the Peak, +very far below its summit, afford, at all seasons, ice in abundance. + +The restless importunity of the beggars, and the immodesty of the lowest class +of women, are highly disgusting. From the number of his countrymen +to be found, an Englishman is at no loss for society. In the mercantile houses +established here, it is from gentlemen of this description that any information +is derived, for the taciturnity of the Spaniards is not to be overcome +in a short acquaintance, especially by Englishmen, whose reserve +falls little short of their own. The inland country is described as fertile, +and highly romantic; and the environs of the small town of Laguza +mentioned as particularly pleasant. Some of our officers who made an excursion +to it confirmed the account amply. + +It should seem that the power of the Church, which has been so long +on the decline in Europe, is at length beginning to be shaken in the colonies +of the Catholic powers: some recent instances which have taken place +at Teneriffe, evince it very fully. Were not a stranger, however, +to be apprized of this, he would hardly draw the conclusion from his own +observations. The Bishop of these islands, which conjunctively form a See, +resides on the Grand Canary. He is represented as a man in years, +and of a character as amiable as exalted, extremely beloved both by foreigners +and those of his own church. The bishopric is valued at ten thousand pounds +per annum; the government at somewhat less than two. + +In spite of every precaution, while we lay at anchor in the road, a convict +had the address, one night, to secrete himself on the deck, when the rest +were turned below; and after remaining quiet for some hours, let himself down +over the bow of the ship, and floated to a boat that lay astern, into which +he got, and cutting her adrift, suffered himself to be carried away +by the current, until at a sufficient distance to be out of hearing, +when he rowed off. This elopement was not discovered till some hours after, +when a search being made, and boats sent to the different parts of the island, +he was discovered in a small cove, to which he had fled for refuge. +On being questioned, it appeared he had endeavoured to get himself received +on board a Dutch East Indiaman in the road; but being rejected there, +he resolved on crossing over to the Grand Canary, which is at the distance +of ten leagues, and when detected, was recruiting his strength in order to make +the attempt. At the same time that the boats of the fleet were sent +on this pursuit, information was given to the Spanish Governor +of what had happened, who immediately detached parties every way +in order to apprehend the delinquent. + +Having remained a week at Teneriffe, and in that time completed our stock +of water, and taken on board wine, &c. early on the morning of the 10th of June +we weighed anchor, and stood out to sea with a light easterly breeze. +The shortness of our stay, and the consequent hurry, prevented +our increasing much any previous knowledge we might have had of the place. +For the information of those who may follow us on this service, it may not, +however, be amiss to state the little that will be found of use to them. + +The markets afford fresh meat, though it is neither plentiful nor good. +Fish is scarce; but poultry may be procured in almost any quantity, +at as cheap a rate as in the English sea-ports. Vegetables do not abound, +except pumpkins and onions, of which I advise all ships to lay in +a large stock. Milch goats are bought for a trifle, and easily procured. +Grapes cannot be scarce in their season; but when we were here, except figs +and excellent mulberries, no fruit was to be procured. Dry wines, +as the merchants term them, are sold from ten to fifteen pounds a pipe; +for the latter price, the very best, called the London Particular, +may be bought: sweet wines are considerably dearer. Brandy is also +a cheap article. I would not advise the voyager to depend on this place +for either his hogs or sheep. And he will do well to supply himself +with dollars before he quits England, to expend in the different ports +he may happen to touch at. Should he, however, have neglected this precaution, +let him remember when he discounts bills, or exchanges English money here, +not to receive his returns in quarter dollars, which will be tendered to him, +but altogether in whole ones, as he will find the latter turn to better account +than the former, both at Rio de Janeiro and the Cape of Good Hope. + +The latitude of the town of Santa Cruz is 28 deg 27 1/2 min north, +the longitude 16 deg 17 1/2 min west of Greenwich. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + + +The Passage from Teneriffe to Rio de Janeiro, in the Brazils. + + +In sailing from Teneriffe to the south-east, the various and picturesque +appearances of the Peak are beautiful to the highest degree. The stupendous +height, which before was lost on the traveller, now strikes him with awe +and admiration, the whole island appearing one vast mountain with +a pyramidal top. As we proceeded with light winds, at an easy rate, we saw it +distinctly for three days after our departure, and should have continued +to see it longer, had not the haziness of the atmosphere interrupted our view. +The good people of Santa Cruz tell some stories of the wonderful extent +of space to be seen from the summit of it, that would not disgrace the memoirs +of the ever-memorable Baron Munchausen. + +On the 18th of June we saw the most northerly of the Cape de Verd Islands, +at which time the Commodore gave the fleet to understand, by signal, +that his intention was to touch at some of them. The following day we made +St. Jago, and stood in to gain an anchorage in Port Praya Bay. +But the baffling winds and lee current rendering it a matter of doubt +whether or not the ships would be able to fetch, the signal for anchoring +was hauled down, and the fleet bore up before the wind. In passing along them +we were enabled to ascertain the south end of the Isle of Sal +to be in 16 deg 40 min north latitude, and 23 deg 5 min west longitude. +The south end of Bonavista to be in 15 deg 57 min north, 23 deg 8 min west. +The south end of the Isle of May in 15 deg 11 min north, 23 deg 26 min west; +and the longitude of the fort, in the town of Port Praya, +to be 23 deg 36 1/2 min west of Greenwich. + +By this time the weather, from the sun being so far advanced in the +northern tropic, was become intolerably hot, which, joined to the heavy rains +that soon after came on, made us very apprehensive for the health of the fleet. +Contrary, however, to expectation, the number of sick in the ship +I was embarked on was surprisingly small, and the rest of the fleet were +nearly as healthy. Frequent explosions of gunpowder, lighting fires +between decks, and a liberal use of that admirable antiseptic, oil of tar, +were the preventives we made use of against impure air; and above all +things we were careful to keep the men's bedding and wearing apparel dry. +As we advanced towards the Line, the weather grew gradually better +and more pleasant. On the 14th of July we passed the Equator, +at which time the atmosphere was as serene, and the temperature of the air +not hotter than in a bright summer day in England. From this period, +until our arrival on the American coast, the heats, the calms, and the rains +by which we had been so much incommoded, were succeeded by a series of weather +as delightful as it was unlooked for. At three o'clock in the afternoon +of the 2nd of August, the 'Supply', which had been previously sent a-head +on purpose, made the signal for seeing the land, which was visible +to the whole fleet before sunset, and proved to be Cape Frio, in latitude +23 deg 5 min south, longitude 41 deg 40 1/4 min west. + +Owing to light airs we did not get a-breast of the city of St. Sebastian, +in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, until the 7th of the month, when we anchored +about three quarters of a mile from the shore. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + + +From the Arrival of the Fleet at Rio de Janeiro, till its Departure +for the Cape of Good Hope; with some Remarks on the Brazils. + + +Brazil is a country very imperfectly known in Europe. The Portugueze, +from political motives, have been sparing in their accounts of it. +Whence our descriptions of it, in the geographical publications in England, +are drawn, I know not: that they are miserably erroneous and defective, +is certain. + +The city of St. Sebastian stands on the west side of the harbour, +in a low unhealthy situation, surrounded on all sides by hills, which stop +the free circulation of air, and subject its inhabitants to intermittents +and putrid diseases. It is of considerable extent: Mr. Cook makes it as large +as Liverpool; but Liverpool, in 1767, when Mr. Cook wrote, was not two-thirds +of its present size. Perhaps it equals Chester, or Exeter, in the share +of ground it occupies, and is infinitely more populous than either of them. +The streets intersect each other at right angles, are tolerably well built, +and excellently paved, abounding with shops of every kind, in which the wants +of a stranger, if money is not one of them, can hardly remain unsatisfied. +About the centre of the city, and at a little distance from the beach, +the Palace of the Viceroy stands, a long, low building, no wise remarkable +in its exterior appearance; though within are some spacious and handsome +apartments. The churches and convents are numerous, and richly decorated; +hardly a night passes without some of the latter being illuminated in honour +of their patron saints, which has a very brilliant effect when viewed +from the water, and was at first mistaken by us for public rejoicings. +At the corner of almost every street stands a little image of the Virgin, +stuck round with lights in an evening, before which passengers frequently stop +to pray and sing very loudly. Indeed, the height to which religious zeal +is carried in this place, cannot fail of creating astonishment in a stranger. +The greatest part of the inhabitants seem to have no other occupation, +than that of paying visits and going to church, at which times you see them +sally forth richly dressed, en chapeau bras, with the appendages of a bag +for the hair, and a small sword: even boys of six years old are seen +parading about, furnished with these indispensable requisites. Except when +at their devotions, it is not easy to get a sight of the women, +and when obtained, the comparisons drawn by a traveller, lately arrived +from England, are little flattering to Portugueze beauty. In justice, +however, to the ladies of St. Sebastian, I must observe, that the custom +of throwing nosegays at strangers, for the purpose of bringing on +an assignation, which Doctor Solander, and another gentleman +of Mr. Cook's ship, met with when here, was never seen by any of us +in a single instance. We were so deplorably unfortunate as to walk +every evening before their windows and balconies, without being honoured with +a single bouquet, though nymphs and flowers were in equal and great abundance. + +Among other public buildings, I had almost forgot to mention an observatory, +which stands near the middle of the town, and is tolerably well furnished +with astronomical instruments. During our stay here, some Spanish +and Portuguese mathematicians were endeavouring to determine the boundaries +of the territories belonging to their respective crowns. Unhappily, however, +for the cause of science, these gentleman have not hitherto been able +to coincide in their accounts, so that very little information on this head, +to be depended upon, could be gained. How far political motives may have +caused this disagreement, I do not presume to decide; though it deserves +notice, that the Portuguese accuse the Abbee de la Caille, who observed here +by order of the King of France, of having laid down the longitude of this place +forty-five miles too much to the eastward. + +Until the year 1770, all the flour in the settlement was brought from Europe; +but since that time the inhabitants have made so rapid a progress in raising +grain, as to be able to supply themselves with it abundantly. +The principal corn country lies around Rio Grande, in the latitude of +32 deg south, where wheat flourishes so luxuriantly, as to yield from +seventy to eighty bushels for one. Coffee also, which they formerly received +from Portugal, now grows in such plenty as to enable them to export +considerable quantities of it. But the staple commodity of the country +is sugar. That they have not, however, learnt the art of making palatable rum, +the English troops in New South Wales can bear testimony; a large quantity, +very ill flavoured, having been bought and shipped here for the use of +the garrison of Port Jackson. + +It was in 1771 that St. Salvador, which had for more than a century +been the capital of Brazil, ceased to be so; and that the seat of Government +was removed to St. Sebastian. The change took place on account of +the colonial war, at that time carried on by the Courts of Lisbon and Madrid. +And, indeed, were the object of security alone to determine the seat +of Government, I know but few places better situated in that respect +than the one I am describing; the natural strength of the country, +joined to the difficulties which would attend an attack on the fortifications, +being such as to render it very formidable. + +It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government is well apprized +of this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived +of so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate +the reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the garrison +with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out with a promise +of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of three years, +in conformity to which they settled all their domestic arrangements. +But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the expiration +of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these unfortunate men, +is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening walking with +a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and on my telling him, +that such a breach of public honour to English troops would become a subject +of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my hand with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!" +exclaimed he, "yours is a free country--we"!----His emotions spoke +what his tongue refused. + +As I am mentioning the army, I cannot help observing, that I saw nothing here +to confirm the remark of Mr. Cook, that the inhabitants of the place, +whenever they meet an officer of the garrison, bow to him with the greatest +obsequiousness; and by omitting such a ceremony, would subject themselves +to be knocked down, though the other seldom deigns to return the compliment. +The interchange of civilities is general between them, and seems +by no means extorted. The people who could submit to such insolent +superiority, would, indeed, deserve to be treated as slaves. + +The police of the city is very good. Soldiers patrole the streets frequently, +and riots are seldom heard of. The dreadful custom of stabbing, from motives +of private resentment, is nearly at an end, since the church has ceased +to afford an asylum to murderers. In other respects, the progress +of improvement appears slow, and fettered by obstacles almost insurmountable, +whose baneful influence will continue, until a more enlightened system +of policy shall be adopted. From morning to night the ears of a stranger +are greeted by the tinkling of the convent bells, and his eyes saluted +by processions of devotees, whose adoration and levity seem to keep equal pace, +and succeed each other in turns. "Do you want to make your son sick +of soldiering? Shew him the Trainbands of London on a field-day." +Let him who would wish to give his son a distaste to Popery, point out to him +the sloth, the ignorance, and the bigotry of this place. + +Being nearly ready to depart by the 1st of September, as many officers +as possible went on that day to the palace to take leave of his Excellency, +the Viceroy of the Brazils, to whom we had been previously introduced; +who on this, and every other occasion, was pleased to honour us with +the most distinguished marks of regard and attention. Some part, indeed, +of the numerous indulgencies we experienced during our stay here, +must doubtless be attributed to the high respect in which the Portuguese +held Governor Phillip, who was for many years a captain in their navy, +and commanded a ship of war on this station: in consequence of which, +many privileges were extended to us, very unusual to be granted to strangers. +We were allowed the liberty of making short excursions into the country, +and on these occasions, as well as when walking in the city, the mortifying +custom of having an officer of the garrison attending us was dispensed with +on our leaving our names and ranks, at the time of landing, with the adjutant +of orders at the palace. It happened, however, sometimes, that the presence +of a military man was necessary to prevent imposition in the shopkeepers, +who frequently made a practice of asking more for their goods than +the worth of them. In which case an officer, when applied to, always told us +the usual price of the commodity with the greatest readiness, and adjusted +the terms of the purchase. + +On the morning of the fourth of September we left Rio de Janeiro, +amply furnished with the good things which its happy soil and clime +so abundantly produce. The future voyager may with security depend on +this place for laying in many parts of his stock. Among these may be +enumerated sugar, coffee, rum, port wine, rice, tapioca, and tobacco, +besides very beautiful wood for the purposes of household furniture. +Poultry is not remarkably cheap, but may be procured in any quantity; +as may hops at a low rate. The markets are well supplied with butcher's meat, +and vegetables of every sort are to be procured at a price next to nothing; +the yams are particularly excellent. Oranges abound so much, as to be sold +for sixpence a hundred; and limes are to be had on terms equally moderate. +Bananas, cocoa nuts, and guavas, are common; but the few pineapples +brought to market are not remarkable either for flavour, or cheapness. +Besides the inducements to lay out money already mentioned, the naturalist +may add to his collection by an almost endless variety of beautiful birds +and curious insects, which are to be bought at a reasonable price, +well preserved, and neatly assorted. + +I shall close my account of this place by informing strangers, +who may come here, that the Portuguese reckon their money in rees, +an imaginary coin, twenty of which make a small copper piece called a 'vintin', +and sixteen of these last a 'petack'. Every piece is marked with the number +of rees it is worth, so that a mistake can hardly happen. English silver coin +has lost its reputation here, and dollars will be found preferable +to any other money. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + + +The Passage from the Brazils to the Cape of Good Hope; +with an Account of the Transactions of the Fleet there. + + +Our passage from Rio de Janeiro to the Cape of Good Hope was equally prosperous +with that which had preceded it. We steered away to the south-east, +and lost sight of the American coast the day after our departure. +From this time until the 13th of October, when we made the Cape, nothing +remarkable occurred, except the loss of a convict in the ship I was on board, +who unfortunately fell into the sea, and perished in spite of our efforts +to save him, by cutting adrift a life buoy and hoisting out a boat. +During the passage, a slight dysentery prevailed in some of the ships, +but was in no instance mortal. We were at first inclined to impute it +to the water we took on board at the Brazils, but as the effect was +very partial, some other cause was more probably the occasion of it. + +At seven o'clock in the evening of the 13th of October, we cast anchor +in Table Bay, and found many ships of different nations in the harbour. + +Little can be added to the many accounts already published of +the Cape of Good Hope, though, if an opinion on the subject might be risqued, +the descriptions they contain are too flattering. When contrasted with +Rio de Janeiro, it certainly suffers in the comparison. Indeed we arrived +at a time equally unfavourable for judging of the produce of the soil +and the temper of its cultivators, who had suffered considerably from a dearth +that had happened the preceding season, and created a general scarcity. +Nor was the chagrin of these deprivations lessened by the news daily arriving +of the convulsions that shook the republic, which could not fail to make +an impression even on Batavian phlegm. + +As a considerable quantity of flour, and the principal part of the live stock, +which was to store our intended settlement, were meant to be procured here, +Governor Phillip lost no time in waiting on Mynheer Van Graaffe, +the Dutch Governor, to request permission (according to the custom +of the place) to purchase all that we stood in need of. How far the demand +extended, I know not, nor Mynheer Van Graaffe's reasons for complying with it +in part only. To this gentleman's political sentiments I confess myself +a stranger; though I should do his politeness and liberality at his own table +an injustice, were I not to take this public opportunity of acknowledging them; +nor can I resist the opportunity which presents itself, to inform my readers, +in honor of M. Van Graaffe's humanity, that he has made repeated efforts +to recover the unfortunate remains of the crew of the Grosvenor Indiaman, +which was wrecked about five years ago on the coast of Caffraria. +This information was given me by Colonel Gordon, commandant of the Dutch +troops at the Cape, whose knowledge of the interior parts of this country +surpasses that of any other man. And I am sorry to say that the Colonel added, +these unhappy people were irrecoverably lost to the world and their friends, +by being detained among the Caffres, the most savage set of brutes on earth. + +His Excellency resides at the Government house, in the East India Company's +garden. This last is of considerable extent, and is planted chiefly +with vegetables for the Dutch Indiamen which may happen to touch at the port. +Some of the walks are extremely pleasant from the shade they afford, +and the whole garden is very neatly kept. The regular lines intersecting +each other at right angles, in which it is laid out, will, nevertheless, +afford but little gratification to an Englishman, who has been used to +contemplate the natural style which distinguishes the pleasure grounds +of his own country. At the head of the centre walks stands a menagerie, +on which, as well as the garden, many pompous eulogiums have been passed, +though in my own judgment, considering the local advantages possessed +by the Company, it is poorly furnished both with animals and birds; a tyger, +a zebra, some fine ostriches, a cassowary, and the lovely crown-fowl, +are among the most remarkable. + +The table land, which stands at the back of the town, is a black dreary looking +mountain, apparently flat at top, and of more than eleven hundred yards +in height. The gusts of wind which blow from it are violent to an excess, and +have a very unpleasant effect, by raising the dust in such clouds, as to render +stirring out of doors next to impossible. Nor can any precaution prevent +the inhabitants from being annoyed by it, as much within doors as without. + +At length the wished-for day, on which the next effort for reaching the place +of our destination was to be made, appeared. The morning was calm, +but the land wind getting up about noon, on the 12th of November we +weighed anchor, and soon left far behind every scene of civilization +and humanized manners, to explore a remote and barbarous land; and plant in it +those happy arts, which alone constitute the pre-eminence and dignity +of other countries. + +The live animals we took on board on the public account from the Cape, +for stocking our projected colony, were, two bulls, three cows, three horses, +forty-four sheep, and thirty-two hogs, besides goats, and a very large quantity +of poultry of every kind. A considerable addition to this was made by +the private stocks of the officers, who were, however, under a necessity +of circumscribing their original intentions on this head very much, +from the excessive dearness of many of the articles. It will readily +be believed, that few of the military found it convenient to purchase sheep, +when hay to feed them costs sixteen shillings a hundred weight. + +The boarding-houses on shore, to which strangers have recourse, +are more reasonable than might be expected. For a dollar and a half per day +we were well lodged, and partook of a table tolerably supplied in the +French style. Should a traveller's stock of tea run short, it is a thousand +chances to one that he will be able to replenish it here at a cheaper rate +than in England. He may procure plenty of arrack and white wine; also raisins, +and dried fruits of other sorts. If he dislikes to live at a boarding-house, +he will find the markets well stored, and the price of butcher's meat +and vegetables far from excessive. + +Just before the signal for weighing was made, a ship, under American colours, +entered the road, bound from Boston, from whence she had sailed +one hundred and forty days, on a trading voyage to the East Indies. +In her route, she had been lucky enough to pick up several of the inferior +officers and crew of the Harcourt East-Indiaman, which ship had been wrecked +on one of the Cape de Verd Islands. The master, who appeared to be a man +of some information, on being told the destination of our fleet, gave it +as his opinion, that if a reception could be secured, emigrations +would take place to New South Wales, not only from the old continent, +but the new one, where the spirit of adventure and thirst for novelty +were excessive. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + + +The Passage from the Cape of Good Hope to Botany Bay. + + +We had hardly cleared the land when a south-east wind set in, and, except +at short intervals, continued to blow until the 19th of the month; +when we were in the latitude of 37 deg 40 min south, and by the time-keeper, +in longitude 11 deg 30 min east, so that our distance from Botany Bay +had increased nearly an hundred leagues since leaving the Cape. +As no appearance of a change in our favour seemed likely to take place, +Governor Phillip at this time signified his intention of shifting his pennant +from the Sirius to the 'Supply', and proceeding on his voyage without waiting +for the rest of the fleet, which was formed in two divisions. The first +consisting of three transports, known to be the best sailors, was put under +the command of a Lieutenant of the navy; and the remaining three, +with the victuallers, left in charge of Captain Hunter, of his Majesty's ship +Sirius. In the last division was the vessel, in which the author +of this narrative served. Various causes prevented the separation from +taking place until the 25th, when several sawyers, carpenters, blacksmiths, +and other mechanics, were shifted from different ships into the 'Supply', +in order to facilitate his Excellency's intention of forwarding the necessary +buildings to be erected at Botany Bay, by the time the rest of the fleet +might be expected to arrive. Lieutenant Governor Ross, and the Staff +of the marine battalion, also removed from the Sirius into the +Scarborough transport, one of the ships of the first division, in order +to afford every assistance which the public service might receive, +by their being early on the spot on which our future operations +were to be conducted. + +From this time a succession of fair winds and pleasant weather corresponded +to our eager desires, and on the 7th of January, 1788, the long wished for +shore of Van Diemen gratified our sight. We made the land at two o'clock +in the afternoon, the very hour we expected to see it from the +lunar observations of Captain Hunter, whose accuracy, as an astronomer, +and conduct as an officer, had inspired us with equal gratitude and admiration. + +After so long a confinement, on a service so peculiarly disgusting +and troublesome, it cannot be matter of surprise that we were overjoyed +at the near prospect of a change of scene. By sunset we had passed between +the rocks, which Captain Furneaux named the Mewstone and Swilly. +The former bears a very close resemblance to the little island near Plymouth, +whence it took its name: its latitude is 43 deg 48 min south, longitude +146 deg 25 min east of Greenwich. + +In running along shore, we cast many an anxious eye towards the land, +on which so much of our future destiny depended. Our distance, joined to +the haziness of the atmosphere, prevented us, however, from being able +to discover much. With our best glasses we could see nothing but hills +of a moderate height, cloathed with trees, to which some little patches +of white sandstone gave the appearance of being covered with snow. +Many fires were observed on the hills in the evening. + +As no person in the ship I was on board had been on this coast before, +we consulted a little chart, published by Steele, of the Minories, London, +and found it, in general, very correct; it would be more so, were not +the Mewstone laid down at too great a distance from the land, and one object +made of the Eddystone and Swilly, when, in fact, they are distinct. +Between the two last is an entire bed of impassable rocks, many of them +above water. The latitude of the Eddystone is 43 deg 53 1/2 min, +longitude 147 deg 9 min; that of Swilly 43 deg 54 min south, longitude +147 deg 3 min east of Greenwich. + +In the night the westerly wind, which had so long befriended us, died away, +and was succeeded by one from the north-east. When day appeared we had +lost sight of the land, and did not regain it until the 19th, +at only the distance of 17 leagues from our desired port. The wind was now +fair, the sky serene, though a little hazy, and the temperature of the air +delightfully pleasant: joy sparkled in every countenance, and congratulations +issued from every mouth. Ithaca itself was scarcely more longed for +by Ulysses, than Botany Bay by the adventurers who had traversed +so many thousand miles to take possession of it. + +"Heavily in clouds came on the day" which ushered in our arrival. +To us it was "a great, an important day," though I hope the foundation, +not the fall, of an empire will be dated from it. + +On the morning of the 20th, by ten o'clock, the whole of the fleet +had cast anchor in Botany Bay, where, to our mutual satisfaction, we found +the Governor, and the first division of transports. On inquiry, we heard, that +the 'Supply' had arrived on the 18th, and the transports only the preceding day. + +Thus, after a passage of exactly thirty-six weeks from Portsmouth, +we happily effected our arduous undertaking, with such a train of unexampled +blessings as hardly ever attended a fleet in a like predicament. +Of two hundred and twelve marines we lost only one; and of seven hundred and +seventy-five convicts, put on board in England, but twenty-four perished +in our route. To what cause are we to attribute this unhoped for success? +I wish I could answer to the liberal manner in which Government supplied +the expedition. But when the reader is told, that some of the necessary +articles allowed to ships on a common passage to West Indies, +were withheld from us; that portable soup, wheat, and pickled vegetables +were not allowed; and that an inadequate quantity of essence of malt +was the only antiscorbutic supplied, his surprise will redouble at the result +of the voyage. For it must be remembered, that the people thus sent out +were not a ship's company starting with every advantage of health +and good living, which a state of freedom produces; but the major part +a miserable set of convicts, emaciated from confinement, and in want +of cloaths, and almost every convenience to render so long a passage tolerable. +I beg leave, however, to say, that the provisions served on board were good, +and of a much superior quality to those usually supplied by contract: +they were furnished by Mr. Richards, junior, of Walworth, Surrey. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + + +From the Fleet's Arrival at Botany Bay to the Evacuation of it; +and taking Possession of Port Jackson. Interviews with the Natives; +and an Account of the Country about Botany Bay. + + +We had scarcely bid each other welcome on our arrival, when an expedition +up the Bay was undertaken by the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, +in order to explore the nature of the country, and fix on a spot to begin +our operations upon. None, however, which could be deemed very eligible, +being discovered, his Excellency proceeded in a boat to examine the opening, +to which Mr. Cook had given the name of Port Jackson, on an idea that +a shelter for shipping within it might be found. The boat returned +on the evening of the 23rd, with such an account of the harbour and advantages +attending the place, that it was determined the evacuation of Botany Bay +should commence the next morning. + +In consequence of this decision, the few seamen and marines who had been landed +from the squadron, were instantly reimbarked, and every preparation made +to bid adieu to a port which had so long been the subject of our conversation; +which but three days before we had entered with so many sentiments +of satisfaction; and in which, as we had believed, so many of our future hours +were to be passed. The thoughts of removal banished sleep, so that I rose +at the first dawn of the morning. But judge of my surprize on hearing from +a serjeant, who ran down almost breathless to the cabin where I was dressing, +that a ship was seen off the harbour's mouth. At first I only laughed, +but knowing the man who spoke to me to be of great veracity, and hearing him +repeat his information, I flew upon deck, on which I had barely set my foot, +when the cry of "another sail" struck on my astonished ear. + +Confounded by a thousand ideas which arose in my mind in an instant, +I sprang upon the barricado and plainly descried two ships of considerable +size, standing in for the mouth of the Bay. By this time the alarm had become +general, and every one appeared lost in conjecture. Now they were Dutchmen +sent to dispossess us, and the moment after storeships from England, +with supplies for the settlement. The improbabilities which attended +both these conclusions, were sunk in the agitation of the moment. +It was by Governor Phillip, that this mystery was at length unravelled, +and the cause of the alarm pronounced to be two French ships, which, +it was now recollected, were on a voyage of discovery in the southern +hemisphere. Thus were our doubts cleared up, and our apprehensions banished; +it was, however, judged expedient to postpone our removal to Port Jackson, +until a complete confirmation of our conjectures could be procured. + +Had the sea breeze set in, the strange ships would have been at anchor +in the Bay by eight o'clock in the morning, but the wind blowing out, +they were driven by a strong lee current to the southward of the port. +On the following day they re-appeared in their former situation, and a boat +was sent to them, with a lieutenant of the navy in her, to offer assistance, +and point out the necessary marks for entering the harbour. In the course +of the day the officer returned, and brought intelligence that the ships +were the Boussole and Astrolabe, sent out by order of the King of France, +and under the command of Monsieur De Perrouse. The astonishment of the French +at seeing us, had not equalled that we had experienced, for it appeared, +that in the course of their voyage they had touched at Kamschatka, +and by that means learnt that our expedition was in contemplation. +They dropped anchor the next morning, just as we had got under weigh +to work out of the Bay, so that for the present nothing more than salutations +could pass between us. + +Before I quit Botany Bay, I shall relate the observations we were enabled +to make during our short stay there; as well as those which our subsequent +visits to it from Port Jackson enabled us to complete. + +The Bay is very open, and greatly exposed to the fury of the S.E. winds, which, +when they blow, cause a heavy and dangerous swell. It is of prodigious extent, +the principal arm, which takes a S.W. direction, being not less, +including its windings, than twenty four miles from the capes which form +the entrance, according to the report of the French officers, +who took uncommon pains to survey it. At the distance of a league from +the harbour's mouth is a bar, on which at low water, not more than +fifteen feet are to be found. Within this bar, for many miles up the S.W. +arm, is a haven, equal in every respect to any hitherto known, and in which +any number of ships might anchor, secured from all winds. The country around +far exceeds in richness of soil that about Cape Banks and Point Solander, +though unfortunately they resemble each other in one respect, +a scarcity of fresh water. + +We found the natives tolerably numerous as we advanced up the river, +and even at the harbour's mouth we had reason to conclude the country +more populous than Mr. Cook thought it. For on the Supply's arrival in the Bay +on the 18th of the month, they were assembled on the beach of the south shore, +to the number of not less than forty persons, shouting and making many +uncouth signs and gestures. This appearance whetted curiosity to its utmost, +but as prudence forbade a few people to venture wantonly among so great +a number, and a party of only six men was observed on the north shore, +the Governor immediately proceeded to land on that side, in order to take +possession of his new territory, and bring about an intercourse between +its old and new masters. The boat in which his Excellency was, rowed up +the harbour, close to the land, for some distance; the Indians keeping pace +with her on the beach. At last an officer in the boat made signs of a want +of water, which it was judged would indicate his wish of landing. +The natives directly comprehended what he wanted, and pointed to a spot +where water could be procured; on which the boat was immediately pushed in, +and a landing took place. As on the event of this meeting might depend +so much of our future tranquillity, every delicacy on our side was requisite. +The Indians, though timorous, shewed no signs of resentment at the Governor's +going on shore; an interview commenced, in which the conduct of both parties +pleased each other so much, that the strangers returned to their ships +with a much better opinion of the natives than they had landed with; +and the latter seemed highly entertained with their new acquaintance, +from whom they condescended to accept of a looking glass, some beads, +and other toys. + +Owing to the lateness of our arrival, it was not my good fortune to go on shore +until three days after this had happened, when I went with a party to the south +side of the harbour, and had scarcely landed five minutes, when we were met by +a dozen Indians, naked as at the moment of their birth, walking along +the beach. Eager to come to a conference, and yet afraid of giving offence, +we advanced with caution towards them, nor would they, at first approach +nearer to us than the distance of some paces. Both parties were armed; +yet an attack seemed as unlikely on their part, as we knew it to be on our own. + +I had at this time a little boy, of not more than seven years of age, +in my hand. The child seemed to attract their attention very much, +for they frequently pointed to him and spoke to each other; and as he was +not frightened, I advanced with him towards them, at the same time baring +his bosom and, shewing the whiteness of the skin. On the cloaths being +removed, they gave a loud exclamation, and one of the party, an old man, +with a long beard, hideously ugly, came close to us. I bade my little charge +not to be afraid, and introduced him to the acquaintance of this uncouth +personage. The Indian, with great gentleness, laid his hand on the +child's hat, and afterwards felt his cloaths, muttering to himself +all the while. I found it necessary, however, by this time to send away +the child, as such a close connection rather alarmed him; and in this, +as the conclusion verified, I gave no offence to the old gentleman. +Indeed it was but putting ourselves on a par with them, as I had observed +from the first, that some youths of their own, though considerably older +than the one with us, were, kept back by the grown people. + +Several more now came up, to whom, we made various presents, but our toys +seemed not to be regarded as very valuable; nor would they for a long time make +any returns to them, though before we parted, a large club, with a head +almost sufficient to fell an ox, was obtained in exchange for a looking-glass. +These people seemed at a loss to know (probably from our want of beards) +of what sex we were, which having understood, they burst into the most +immoderate fits of laughter, talking to each other at the same time +with such rapidity and vociferation as I had never before heard. After nearly +an hour's conversation by signs and gestures, they repeated several times +the word whurra, which signifies, begone, and walked away from us +to the head of the Bay. + +The natives being departed, we set out to observe the country, which, +on inspection, rather disappointed our hopes, being invariably sandy +and unpromising for the purposes of cultivation, though the trees and grass +flourish in great luxuriancy. Close to us was the spring at which +Mr. Cook watered, but we did not think the water very excellent, +nor did it run freely. In the evening we returned on board, not greatly +pleased with the latter part of our discoveries, as it indicated an increase +of those difficulties, which before seemed sufficiently numerous. + +Between this and our departure we had several more interviews with the natives, +which ended in so friendly a manner, that we began to entertain strong hopes +of bringing about a connection with them. Our first object was to win +their affections, and our next to convince them of the superiority +we possessed: for without the latter, the former we knew would be +of little importance. + +An officer one day prevailed on one of them to place a target, made of bark, +against a tree, which he fired at with a pistol, at the distance of some paces. +The Indians, though terrified at the report, did not run away, +but their astonishment exceeded their alarm, on looking at the shield +which the ball had perforated. As this produced a little shyness, the officer, +to dissipate their fears and remove their jealousy, whistled the air +of Malbrooke, which they appeared highly charmed with, and imitated him +with equal pleasure and readiness. I cannot help remarking here, +what I was afterwards told by Monsieur De Perrouse, that the natives +of California, and throughout all the islands of the Pacific Ocean, +and in short wherever he had been, seemed equally touched and delighted +with this little plaintive air. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + + +The taking Possession of Port Jackson, +with the Disembarkation of the Marines and Convicts. + + +Our passage to Port Jackson took up but few hours, and those were spent +far from unpleasantly. The evening was bright, and the prospect before us +such as might justify sanguine expectation. Having passed between the capes +which form its entrance, we found ourselves in a port superior, in extent +and excellency, to all we had seen before. We continued to run up the harbour +about four miles, in a westerly direction, enjoying the luxuriant prospect +of its shores, covered with trees to the water's edge, among which many +of the Indians were frequently seen, till we arrived at a small snug cove +on the southern side, on whose banks the plan of our operations +was destined to commence. + +The landing of a part of the marines and convicts took place the next day, +and on the following, the remainder was disembarked. Business now sat +on every brow, and the scene, to an indifferent spectator, at leisure +to contemplate it, would have been highly picturesque and amusing. +In one place, a party cutting down the woods; a second, setting up +a blacksmith's forge; a third, dragging along a load of stones or provisions; +here an officer pitching his marquee, with a detachment of troops parading +on one side of him, and a cook's fire blazing up on the other. Through the +unwearied diligence of those at the head of the different departments, +regularity was, however, soon introduced, and, as far as the unsettled state +of matters would allow, confusion gave place to system. + +Into the head of the cove, on which our establishment is fixed, runs +a small stream of fresh water, which serves to divide the adjacent country +to a little distance, in the direction of north and south. On the eastern side +of this rivulet the Governor fixed his place of residence, with a large body +of convicts encamped near him; and on the western side was disposed +the remaining part of these people, near the marine encampment. +From this last two guards, consisting of two subalterns, as many serjeants, +four corporals, two drummers, and forty-two private men, under the orders +of a Captain of the day, to whom all reports were made, daily mounted +for the public security, with such directions to use force, in case +of necessity, as left no room for those who were the object of the order, +but to remain peaceable, or perish by the bayonet. + +As the straggling of the convicts was not only a desertion from the +public labour, but might be attended with ill consequences to the settlement, +in case of their meeting the natives, every care was taken to prevent it. +The Provost Martial with his men was ordered to patrole the country around, +and the convicts informed, that the severest punishment would be inflicted on +transgressors. In spite, however, of all our precautions, they soon found +the road to Botany Bay, in visits to the French, who would gladly +have dispensed with their company. + +But as severity alone was known to be inadequate at once to chastize +and reform, no opportunity was omitted to assure the convicts, +that by their good behaviour and submissive deportment, every claim to present +distinction and future favour was to be earned. That this caution was not +attended with all the good effects which were hoped from it, I have only +to lament; that it operated in some cases is indisputable; nor will a candid +and humane mind fail to consider and allow for the situation these unfortunate +beings so peculiarly stood in. While they were on board ship, the two sexes +had been kept most rigorously apart; but, when landed, their separation +became impracticable, and would have been, perhaps, wrong. Licentiousness +was the unavoidable consequence, and their old habits of depravity +were beginning to recur. What was to be attempted? To prevent their +intercourse was impossible; and to palliate its evils only remained. Marriage +was recommended, and such advantages held out to those who aimed at +reformation, as have greatly contributed to the tranquillity of the settlement. + +On the Sunday after our landing divine service was performed under +a great tree, by the Rev. Mr. Johnson, Chaplain of the Settlement, +in the presence of the troops and convicts, whose behaviour on the occasion +was equally regular and attentive. In the course of our passage +this had been repeated every Sunday, while the ships were in port; +and in addition to it, Mr. Johnson had furnished them with books, at once +tending to promote instruction and piety. + +The Indians for a little while after our arrival paid us frequent visits, +but in a few days they were observed to be more shy of our company. +From what cause their distaste: arose we never could trace, as we had made it +our study, on these occasions, to treat them with kindness, and load them +with presents. No quarrel had happened, and we had flattered ourselves, +from Governor Phillip's first reception among them, that such a connection +might be established as would tend to the interest of both parties. It seems, +that on that occasion, they not only received our people with great cordiality, +but so far acknowledged their authority as to submit, that a boundary, +during their first interview, might be drawn on the sand, which they attempted +not to infringe, and appeared to be satisfied with. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + + +The reading of the Commissions, and taking Possession of the Settlement, +in form. +With an Account of the Courts of Law, and Mode of administering +Public Justice in this Country. + + +Owing to the multiplicity of pressing business necessary to be performed +immediately after landing, it was found impossible to read the public +commissions and take possession of the colony in form, until the +7th of February. On that day all the officers of guard took post +in the marine battalion, which was drawn up, and marched off the parade +with music playing, and colours flying, to an adjoining ground, which had been +cleared for the occasion, whereon the convicts were assembled to hear +His Majesty's commission read, appointing his Excellency +Arthur Phillip, Esq. Governor and Captain General in and over the territory +of New South Wales, and its dependencies; together with the Act of Parliament +for establishing trials by law within the same; and the patents under +the Great Seal of Great Britain, for holding the civil and criminal courts +of judicature, by which all cases of life and death, as well as matters +of property, were to be decided. When the Judge Advocate had finished reading, +his Excellency addressed himself to the convicts in a pointed and judicious +speech, informing them of his future intentions, which were, invariably +to cherish and render happy those who shewed a disposition to amendment; +and to let the rigour of the law take its course against such as might dare +to transgress the bounds prescribed. At the close three vollies were fired +in honour of the occasion, and the battalion marched back to their parade, +where they were reviewed by the Governor, who was received with all the honours +due to his rank. His Excellency was afterwards pleased to thank them, +in public orders, for their behaviour from the time of their embarkation; +and to ask the officers to partake of a cold collation at which it is +scarce necessary to observe, that many loyal and public toasts were drank +in commemoration of the day. + +In the Governor's commission, the extent of this authority is defined to reach +from the latitude of 43 deg 49 min south, to the latitude of 10 deg 37 min +south, being the northern and southern extremities of the continent of New +Holland. It commences again at 135th degree of longitude east of Greenwich, +and, proceeding in an easterly direction, includes all islands within +the limits of the above specified latitudes in the Pacific Ocean. +By this partition it may be fairly presumed, that every source of future +litigation between the Dutch and us will be for ever cut off, +as the discoveries of English navigators alone are comprized in this territory. + +Nor have Government been more backward in arming Mr. Phillip with plenitude +of power, than extent of dominion. No mention is made of a Council +to be appointed, so that he is left to act entirely from his own judgment. +And as no stated time of assembling the Courts of justice is pointed out, +similar to the assizes and gaol deliveries of England, the duration +of imprisonment is altogether in his hands. The power of summoning +General Courts Martial to meet he is also invested with, but the insertion +in the marine mutiny act, of a smaller number of officers than thirteen +being able to compose such a tribunal, has been neglected: so that +a Military court, should detachments be made from headquarters, +or sickness prevail, may not always be found practicable to be obtained, unless +the number of officers, at present in the Settlement, shall be increased. + +Should the Governor see cause, he is enabled to grant pardons to offenders +convicted, "in all cases whatever, treason and wilful murder excepted," +and even in these, has authority to stay the execution of the law, +until the King's pleasure shall be signified. In case of the Governor's death, +the Lieutenant Governor takes his place; and on his demise, the senior officer +on the spot is authorised to assume the reins of power. + +Notwithstanding the promises made on one side, and the forbearance shewn +on the other, joined to the impending rod of justice, it was with infinite +regret that every one saw, in four clays afterwards, the necessity +of assembling a Criminal Court, which was accordingly convened by warrant +from the Governor, and consisted of the judge Advocate, who presided, +three naval, and three marine officers. + +As the constitution of this court is altogether new in the British annals, +I hope my reader will not think me prolix in the description I am about to give +of it. The number of members, including the judge Advocate, is limited, +by Act of Parliament, to seven, who are expressly ordered to be officers, +either of His Majesty's sea or land forces. The court being met, completely +arrayed and armed as at a military tribunal, the Judge Advocate proceeds +to administer the usual oaths taken by jurymen in England to each member; +one of whom afterwards swears him in a like manner. This ceremony +being adjusted, the crime laid to the prisoner's charge is read to him, +and the question of Guilty, or Not guilty, put. No law officer on the side +of the crown being appointed, (for I presume the head of the court ought hardly +to consider himself in that light, notwithstanding the title he bears) +to prosecute the criminal is left entirely to the party, at whose suit +he is tried. All the witnesses are examined on oath, and the decision +is directed to be given according to the laws of England, "or as nearly +as may be, allowing for the circumstances and situation of the settlement," +by a majority of votes, beginning with the youngest member, and ending +with the president of the court. In cases, however, of a capital nature, +no verdict can be given, unless five, at least, of the seven members present +concur therein. The evidence on both sides being finished, and +the prisoner's defence heard, the court is cleared, and, on the judgement +being settled, is thrown open again, and sentence pronounced. During the time +the court sits, the place in which it is assembled is directed to be surrounded +by a guard under arms, and admission to every one who may choose to enter it, +granted. Of late, however, our colonists are supposed to be in such a train +of subordination, as to make the presence of so large a military force +unnecessary; and two centinels, in addition to the Provost Martial, +are considered as sufficient. + +It would be as needless, as impertinent, to anticipate the reflections +which will arise in reading the above account, wherein a regard to accuracy +only has been consulted. By comparing it with the mode of administering +justice in the English courts of law, it will be found to differ in many points +very essentially. And if we turn our eyes to the usage of military tribunals, +it no less departs from the customs observed in them. Let not the novelty +of it, however, prejudice any one so far as to dispute its efficacy, +and the necessity of the case which gave it birth. + +The court, whose meeting is already spoken of, proceeded to the trial +of three convicts, one of whom was convicted of having struck a marine +with a cooper's adze, and otherwise behaving in a very riotous and scandalous +manner, for which he was sentenced to receive one hundred and fifty lashes, +being a smaller punishment than a soldier in a like case would have suffered +from the judgement of a court martial. A second, for having committed +a petty theft, was sent to a small barren island, and kept there on bread +and water only, for a week. And the third was sentenced to receive +fifty lashes, but was recommended by the court to the Governor, and forgiven. + +Hitherto, however, (February) nothing of a very atrocious nature had appeared. +But the day was at hand, on which the violation of public security +could no longer be restrained, by the infliction of temporary punishment. +A set of desperate and hardened villains leagued themselves for the purposes +of depredation, and, as it generally happens, had art enough to persuade +some others, less deeply versed in iniquity, to be the instruments +for carrying it on. Fortunately the progress of these miscreants was not +of long duration. They were detected in stealing a large quantity +of provisions at the time of issuing them. And on being apprehended, +one of the tools of the superiors impeached the rest, and disclosed the scheme. +The trial came on the 28th of the month, and of four who were arraigned +for the offence, three were condemned to die, and the fourth to receive +a very severe corporal punishment. In hopes that his lenity would not be +abused, his Excellency was, however, pleased to order one only for execution, +which took place a little before sun-set the same day. The name +of the unhappy wretch was Thomas Barret, an old and desperate offender, +who died with that hardy spirit, which too often is found in the worst +and most abandoned class of men. During the execution the battalion +of marines was under arms, and the whole of the convicts obliged to be present. +The two associates of the sufferer were ordered to be kept close prisoners, +until an eligible place to banish them to could be fixed on; as were also +two more, who on the following day were condemned to die for a similar offence. + +Besides the Criminal court, there is an inferior one composed of the +Judge Advocate, and one or more justices of the peace, for the trial +of small misdemeanours. This court is likewise empowered to decide all +law suits, and its verdict is final, except where the sum in dispute amounts +to more than three hundred pounds, in which case an appeal to England +can be made from its decree. Should necessity warrant it, an Admiralty court, +of which Lieutenant Governor Ross is judge, can also be summoned, for the trial +of offences committed on the high seas. + +From being unwilling to break the thread of my narrative, I omitted to note +in its proper place the sailing of the 'Supply', Lieut. Ball, on the 15th +of the month, for Norfolk Island, which the Governor had instructions +from the ministry to take possession of. Lieut. King of the Sirius was sent +as superintendent and commandant of this place, and carried with him +a surgeon, a midshipman, a sawyer, a weaver, two marines, and sixteen convicts, +of whom six were women. He was also supplied with a certain number +of live animals to stock the island, besides garden seeds, grain, +and other requisites. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +A Description of the Natives of New South Wales, +and our Transactions with them. + + +I doubt not my readers will be as glad as I feel myself, to conclude +the dull detail of the last chapter. If they please, they may turn from +the subtle intricacies of the law, to contemplate the simple, undisguised +workings of nature, in her most artless colouring. + +I have already said, we had been but very few days at Port Jackson, when +an alteration in the behaviour of the natives was perceptible; and I wish +I could add, that a longer residence in their neighbourhood had introduced +a greater degree of cordiality and intermixture between the old, and new, +lords of the soil, than at the day on which this publication is dated subsists. + +From their easy reception of us in the beginning, many were induced +to call in question the accounts which Mr. Cook had given of this people. +That celebrated navigator, we were willing believe, had somehow by his conduct +offended them, which prevented the intercourse that would otherwise +have taken place. The result, however, of our repeated endeavours to induce +them to come among us has been such as to confirm me in an opinion, that they +either fear or despise us too much, to be anxious for a closer connection. +And I beg leave at once, to apprize the reader, that all I can here, or in any +future part of this work, relate with fidelity of the natives +of New South Wales, must be made up of detached observations, taken at +different times, and not from a regular series of knowledge of the customs +and manners of a people, with whom opportunities of communication +are so scarce, as to have been seldom obtained. + +In their persons, they are far from being a stout race of men, though nimble, +sprightly, and vigorous. The deficiency of one of the fore teeth of the +upper jaw, mentioned by Dampier, we have seen in almost the whole of the men; +but their organs of sight so far from being defective, as that author mentions +those of the inhabitants of the western side of the continent to be, +are remarkably quick and piercing. Their colour, Mr. Cook is inclined to think +rather a deep chocolate, than an absolute black, though he confesses, +they have the appearance of the latter, which he attributes to the greasy filth +their skins are loaded with. Of their want of cleanliness we have had +sufficient proofs, but I am of opinion, all the washing in the world would not +render them two degrees less black than an African negro. At some of our +first interviews, we had several droll instances of their mistaking +the Africans we brought with us for their own countrymen. + +Notwithstanding the disregard they have invariably shewn for all the finery +we could deck them with, they are fond of adorning themselves with scars, +which increase their natural hideousness. It is hardly possible to see +any thing in human shape more ugly, than one of these savages thus scarified, +and farther ornamented with a fish bone struck through the gristle of the nose. +The custom of daubing themselves with white earth is also frequent among +both sexes: but, unlike the inhabitants of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean, +they reject the beautiful feathers which the birds of their country afford. + +Exclusive of their weapons of offence, and a few stone hatchets very rudely +fashioned, their ingenuity is confined to manufacturing small nets, +in which they put the fish they catch, and to fish-hooks made of bone, +neither of which are unskilfully executed. On many of the rocks are also +to be found delineations of the figures of men and birds, very poorly cut. + +Of the use or benefit of cloathing, these people appear to have no +comprehension, though their sufferings from the climate they live in, +strongly point out the necessity of a covering from the rigour of the seasons. +Both sexes, and those of all ages, are invariably found naked. But it must +not be inferred from this, that custom so inures them to the changes +of the elements, as to make them bear with indifference the extremes of heat +and cold; for we have had visible and repeated proofs, that the latter +affects them severely, when they are seen shivering, and huddling themselves up +in heaps in their huts, or the caverns of the rocks, until a fire +can be kindled. + +Than these huts nothing more rude in construction, or deficient in conveniency, +can be imagined. They consist only of pieces of bark laid together in the form +of an oven, open at one end, and very low, though long enough for a man to lie +at full length. There is reason, however, to believe, that they depend less +on them for shelter, than on the caverns with which the rocks abound. + +To cultivation of the ground they are utter strangers, and wholly depend +for food on the few fruits they gather; the roots they dig up in the swamps; +and the fish they pick up along shore, or contrive to strike from their canoes +with spears. Fishing, indeed, seems to engross nearly the whole of their time, +probably from its forming the chief part of a subsistence, which, +observation has convinced us, nothing short of the most painful labour, +and unwearied assiduity, can procure. When fish are scarce, which frequently +happens, they often watch the moment of our hauling the seine, and have more +than once been known to plunder its contents, in spite of the opposition +of those on the spot to guard it: and this even after having received a part +of what had been caught. The only resource at these times is to shew +a musquet, and if the bare sight is not sufficient, to fire it over +their heads, which has seldom failed of dispersing them hitherto, +but how long the terror which it excites may continue is doubtful. + +The canoes in which they fish are as despicable as their huts, being nothing +more than a large piece of bark tied up at both ends with vines. +Their dexterous management of them, added to the swiftness with which +they paddle, and the boldness that leads them several miles in the open sea, +are, nevertheless, highly deserving of admiration. A canoe is seldom seen +without a fire in it, to dress the fish by, as soon as caught: +fire they procure by attrition. + +From their manner of disposing of those who die, which will be mentioned +hereafter, as well as from every other observation, there seems no reason +to suppose these people cannibals; nor do they ever eat animal substances +in a raw state, unless pressed by extreme hunger, but indiscriminately +broil them, and their vegetables, on a fire, which renders these last +an innocent food, though in their raw state many of them are of a poisonous +quality: as a poor convict who unguardedly eat of them experienced, +by falling a sacrifice in twenty-four hours afterwards. If bread be given +to the Indians, they chew and spit it out again, seldom choosing to swallow it. +Salt beef and pork they like rather better, but spirits they never could +be brought to taste a second time. + +The only domestic animal they have is the dog, which in their language +is called Dingo, and a good deal resembles the fox dog of England. +These animals are equally shy of us, and attached to the natives. One of them +is now in the possession of the Governor, and tolerably well reconciled +to his new master. As the Indians see the dislike of the dogs to us, +they are sometimes mischievous enough to set them on single persons +whom they chance to meet in the woods. A surly fellow was one day out +shooting, when the natives attempted to divert themselves in this manner +at his expense. The man bore the teazing and gnawing of the dog at his heels +for some time, but apprehending at length, that his patience might +embolden them to use still farther liberties, he turned round and shot poor +Dingo dead on the spot: the owners of him set off with the utmost expedition. + +There is no part of the behaviour of these people, that has puzzled us more, +than that which relates to their women. Comparatively speaking we have seen +but few of them, and those have been sometimes kept back with every symptom +of jealous sensibility; and sometimes offered with every appearance +of courteous familiarity. Cautious, however, of alarming the feelings +of the men on so tender a point, we have constantly made a rule of treating +the females with that distance and reserve, which we judged most likely +to remove any impression they might have received of our intending aught, +which could give offence on so delicate a subject. And so successful +have our endeavours been, that a quarrel on this head has in no instance, +that I know of, happened. The tone of voice of the women, which is pleasingly +soft and feminine, forms a striking contrast to the rough guttural +pronunciation of the men. Of the other charms of the ladies I shall be silent, +though justice obliges me to mention, that, in the opinion of some amongst us, +they shew a degree of timidity and bashfulness, which are, perhaps, +inseparable from the female character in its rudest state. It is not a little +singular, that the custom of cutting off the two lower joints of the +little finger of the left hand, observed in the Society Islands, +is found here among the women, who have for the most part undergone +this amputation. Hitherto we have not been able to trace out the cause +of this usage. At first we supposed it to be peculiar to the married women, +or those who had borne children; but this conclusion must have been erroneous, +as we have no right to believe that celibacy prevails in any instance, +and some of the oldest of the women are without this distinction; +and girls of a very tender age are marked by it. + +On first setting foot in the country, we were inclined to hold the spears +of the natives very cheap. Fatal experience has, however, convinced us, +that the wound inflicted by this weapon is not a trivial one; and that +the skill of the Indians in throwing it, is far from despicable. Besides +more than a dozen convicts who have unaccountably disappeared, we know that +two, who were employed as rush cutters up the harbour, were +(from what cause we are yet ignorant) most dreadfully mangled and butchered +by the natives. A spear had passed entirely through the thickest part +of the body of one of them, though a very robust man, and the skull +of the other was beaten in. Their tools were taken away, but some provisions +which they had with them at the time of the murder, and their cloaths, +were left untouched. In addition to this misfortune, two more convicts, +who were peaceably engaged in picking of greens, on a spot very remote +from that where their comrades suffered, were unawares attacked by a party +of Indians, and before they could effect their escape, one of them was pierced +by a spear in the hip, after which they knocked him down, and plundered +his cloaths. The poor wretch, though dreadfully wounded, made shift +to crawl off, but his companion was carried away by these barbarians, +and his fate doubtful, until a soldier, a few days afterwards, picked up +his jacket and hat in a native's hut, the latter pierced through by a spear. +We have found that these spears are not made invariably alike, some of them +being barbed like a fish gig, and others simply pointed. In repairing them +they are no less dexterous than in throwing them. A broken one being given +by a gentleman to an Indian, he instantly snatched up an oyster-shell, +and converted it with his teeth into a tool with which he presently fashioned +the spear, and rendered it fit for use: in performing this operation, +the sole of his foot served him as a work-board. Nor are their weapons +of offence confined to the spear only, for they have besides long wooden +swords, shaped like a sabre, capable of inflicting a mortal wound, and clubs +of an immense size. Small targets, made of the bark of trees, are likewise +now and then to be seen among them. + +From circumstances which have been observed, we have sometimes been inclined +to believe these people at war with each other. They have more than once +been seen assembled, as if bent on an expedition. An officer one day met +fourteen of them marching along in a regular Indian file through the woods, +each man armed with a spear in his right hand, and a large stone in his left: +at their head appeared a chief, who was distinguished by being painted. +Though in the proportion of five to one of our people they passed peaceably on. + +That their skill in throwing the spear sometimes enables them to kill +the kangaroo we have no right to doubt, as a long splinter of this weapon +was taken out of the thigh of one of these animals, over which the flesh +had completely closed; but we have never discovered that they have any method +of ensnaring them, or that they know any other beasts but the kangaroo and dog. +Whatever animal is shewn them, a dog excepted, they call kangaroo: +a strong presumption that the wild animals of the country are very few. + +Soon after our arrival at Port Jackson, I was walking out near a place +where I observed a party of Indians, busily employed in looking at some sheep +in an inclosure, and repeatedly crying out, 'kangaroo, kangaroo!' As this +seemed to afford them pleasure, I was willing to increase it by pointing out +the horses and cows, which were at no great distance. But unluckily, +at the moment, some female convicts, employed near the place, made their +appearance, and all my endeavours to divert their attention from the ladies +became fruitless. They attempted not, however, to offer them the least degree +of violence or injury, but stood at the distance of several paces, +expressing very significantly the manner they were attracted. + +It would be trespassing on the reader's indulgence were I to impose on him +an account of any civil regulations, or ordinances, which may possibly exist +among this people. I declare to him, that I know not of any, and that +excepting a little tributary respect which the younger part appear to pay +those more advanced in years, I never could observe any degrees of +subordination among them. To their religious rites and opinions I am equally +a stranger. Had an opportunity offered of seeing the ceremonies observed +at disposing of the dead, perhaps, some insight might have been gained; +but all that we at present know with certainty is, that they burn the corpse, +and afterwards heap up the earth around it, somewhat in the manner of +the small tumuli, found in many counties of England. + +I have already hinted, that the country is more populous than it was +generally believed to be in Europe at the time of our sailing. But this remark +is not meant to be extended to the interior parts of the continent, +which there is every reason to conclude from our researches, as well as from +the manner of living practised by the natives, to be uninhabited. It appears +as if some of the Indian families confine their society and connections +within their own pale: but that this cannot always be the case we know; +for on the north-west arm of Botany Bay stands a village, which contains +more than a dozen houses, and perhaps five times that number of people; +being the most considerable establishment that we are acquainted with +in the country. As a striking proof, besides, of the numerousness +of the natives, I beg leave to state, that Governor Phillip, when on +an excursion between the head of this harbour and that of Botany Bay, +once fell in with a party which consisted of more than three hundred persons, +two hundred and twelve of whom were men: this happened only on the day +following the murder of the two convict rush cutters, before noticed, +and his Excellency was at the very time in search of the murderers, on whom, +could they have been found, he intended to inflict a memorable and exemplary +punishment. The meeting was unexpected to both parties, and considering +the critical situation of affairs, perhaps not very pleasing to our side, +which consisted but of twelve persons, until the peaceable disposition +of the Indians was manifest. After the strictest search the Governor +was obliged to return without having gained any information. The laudable +perseverance of his Excellency to throw every light on this unhappy +and mysterious business did not, however stop here, for he instituted +the most rigorous inquiry to find out, if possible, whether the convicts had +at any time ill treated or killed any of the natives; and farther, +issued a proclamation, offering the most tempting of all rewards, a state of +freedom, to him who should point out the murderer, in case such an one existed. + +I have thus impartially stated the situation of matters, as they stand, +while I write, between the natives and us; that greater progress in attaching +them to us has not been made, I have only to regret; but that all ranks of men +have tried to effect it, by every reasonable effort from which success might +have been expected, I can testify; nor can I omit saying, that in the higher +stations this has been eminently conspicuous. The public orders of +Governor Phillip have invariably tended to promote such a behaviour +on our side, as was most likely to produce this much wished-for event. +To what cause then are we to attribute the distance which the accomplishment +of it appears at? I answer, to the fickle, jealous, wavering disposition +of the people we have to deal with, who, like all other savages, are either +too indolent, too indifferent, or too fearful to form an attachment +on easy terms, with those who differ in habits and manners so widely +from themselves. Before I close the subject, I cannot, however, omit to relate +the following ludicrous adventure, which possibly may be of greater use +in effecting what we have so much at heart, than all our endeavours. + +Some young gentlemen belonging to the Sirius one day met a native, an old man, +in the woods; he had a beard of considerable length, which his new acquaintance +gave him to understand, by signals, they would rid him of, if he pleased; +stroaking their chins, and shewing him the smoothness of them at the same time; +at length the old Indian consented, and one of the youngsters taking a penknife +from his pocket, and making use of the best substitute for lather +he could find, performed the operation with great success, and, as it proved, +much to the liking of the old man, who in a few days after reposed a confidence +in us, of which we had hitherto known no example, by paddling along-side +the Sirius in his canoe, and pointing to his beard. Various arts were +ineffectually tried to induce him to enter the ship; but as he continued +to decline the invitation, a barber was sent down into the boat along-side +the canoe, from whence, leaning over the gunnel, he complied with the wish +of the old beau, to his infinite satisfaction. In addition to the consequences +which our sanguine hopes led us to expect from this dawning of cordiality, +it affords proof, that the beard is considered by this people more as +an incumbrance than a mark of dignity. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +The Departure of the French from Botany Bay; and the Return of the 'Supply' +from Norfolk Island; +with a Discovery made by Lieutenant Ball on his Passage to it. + + +About the middle of the month our good friends the French departed from +Botany Bay, in prosecution of their voyage. During their stay in that port, +the officers of the two nations had frequent opportunities of testifying +their mutual regard by visits, and every interchange of friendship and esteem. +These ships sailed from France, by order of the King, on the +1st of August, 1785, under the command of Monsieur De Perrouse, an officer +whose eminent qualifications, we had reason to think, entitle him to fill +the highest stations. In England, particularly, he ought long to be remembered +with admiration and gratitude, for the humanity which marked his conduct, +when ordered to destroy our settlement at Hudson's Bay, in the last war. +His second in command was the Chevalier Clonard, an officer also of +distinguished merit. + +In the course of the voyage these ships had been so unfortunate as to lose +a boat, with many men and officers in her, off the west of California; +and afterwards met with an accident still more to be regretted, at an island +in the Pacific Ocean, discovered by Monsieur Bougainville, in the latitude +of 14 deg 19 min south, longitude 173 deg 3 min 20 sec east of Paris. +Here they had the misfortune to have no less than thirteen of their crews, +among whom was the officer at that time second in command, cut off +by the natives, and many more desperately wounded. To what cause this +cruel event was to be attributed, they knew not, as they were about to quit +the island after having lived with the Indians in the greatest harmony +for several weeks; and exchanged, during the time, their European commodities +for the produce of the place, which they describe as filled with a race +of people remarkable for beauty and comeliness; and abounding in refreshments +of all kinds. + +It was no less gratifying to an English ear, than honourable to +Monsieur De Perrouse, to witness the feeling manner in which he always +mentioned the name and talents of Captain Cook. That illustrious +circumnavigator had, he said, left nothing to those who might follow +in his track to describe, or fill up. As I found, in the course +of conversation, that the French ships had touched at the Sandwich Islands, +I asked M. De Perrouse what reception he had met with there. His answer +deserves to be known: "During the whole of our voyage in the South Seas, +the people of the Sandwich Islands were the only Indians who never gave us +cause of complaint. They furnished us liberally with provisions, +and administered cheerfully to all our wants." It may not be improper +to remark, that Owhyee was not one of the islands visited by this gentleman. + +In the short stay made by these ships at Botany Bay, an Abbe, one of the +naturalists on board, died, and was buried on the north shore. The French +had hardly departed, when the natives pulled down a small board, which +had been placed over the spot where the corpse was interred, and defaced +everything around. On being informed of it, the Governor sent a party over +with orders to affix a plate of copper on a tree near the place, +with the following inscription on it, which is a copy of what was written +on the board: + + +Hic jacet L. RECEVEUR, +E.F.F. minnibus Galliae, Sacerdos, Physicus, in +circumnavigatione mundi, Duce De La Perrouse. +Obiit die 17 Februarii, anno 1788. + + +This mark of respectful attention was more particularly due, from +M. De Perrouse having, when at Kamschatka, paid a similar tribute of gratitude +to the memory of Captain Clarke, whose tomb was found in nearly as ruinous +a state as that of the Abbe. + +Like ourselves, the French found it necessary, more than once, to chastise +a spirit of rapine and intrusion which prevailed among the Indians +around the Bay. The menace of pointing a musquet to them was frequently used; +and in one or two instances it was fired off, though without being attended +with fatal consequences. Indeed the French commandant, both from a regard +to the orders of his Court as well as to our quiet and security, shewed +a moderation and forbearance on this head highly becoming. + +On the 20th of March, the 'Supply' arrived from Norfolk Island, after having +safely landed Lieutenant King and his little garrison. The pine-trees +growing there are described to be of a growth and height superior, perhaps, +to any in the world. But the difficulty of bringing them away will not be +easily surmounted, from the badness and danger of the landing place. +After the most exact search not a single plant of the New Zealand flax +could be found, though we had been taught to believe it abounded there. + +Lieutenant Ball, in returning to Port Jackson, touched at a small island +in latitude 31 deg 36 min south, longitude 159 deg 4 min east of Greenwich, +which he had been fortunate enough to discover on his passage to Norfolk, +and to which he gave the name of Lord Howe's Island. It is entirely +without inhabitants, or any traces of any having ever been there. +But it happily abounds in what will be infinitely more important to +the settlers on New South Wales: green turtle of the finest kind frequent it +in the summer season. Of this Mr. Ball gave us some very handsome +and acceptable specimens on his return. Besides turtle, the island +is well stocked with birds, many of them so tame as to be knocked down +by the seamen with sticks. At the distance of four leagues from +Lord Howe Island, and in latitude 31 deg 30 min south, longitude 159 deg 8 min +east, stands a remarkable rock, of considerable height, to which Mr. Ball gave +the name of Ball's Pyramid, from the shape it bears. + +While the 'Supply' was absent, Governor Phillip made an excursion to Broken +Bay, a few leagues to the northward of Port Jackson, in order to explore it. +As a harbour it almost equals the latter, but the adjacent country was found +so rocky and bare, as to preclude all possibility of turning it to account. +Some rivulets of fresh water fall into the head of the Bay, forming +a very picturesque scene. The Indians who live on its banks are numerous, +and behaved attentively in a variety of instances while our people +remained among them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + + +Transactions at Port Jackson in the Months of April and May. + + +As winter was fast approaching, it became necessary to secure ourselves +in quarters, which might shield us from the cold we were taught to expect +in this hemisphere, though in so low a latitude. The erection of barracks +for the soldiers was projected, and the private men of each company undertook +to build for themselves two wooden houses, of sixty-eight feet in length, +and twenty-three in breadth. To forward the design, several saw-pits +were immediately set to work, and four ship carpenters attached to +the battalion, for the purpose of directing and completing this necessary +undertaking. In prosecuting it, however, so many difficulties occurred, +that we were fain to circumscribe our original intention; and, instead +of eight houses, content ourselves with four. And even these, from the badness +of the timber, the scarcity of artificers, and other impediments, are, +at the day on which I write, so little advanced, that it will be well, +if at the close of the year 1788, we shall be established in them. +In the meanwhile the married people, by proceeding on a more contracted scale, +were soon under comfortable shelter. Nor were the convicts forgotten; +and as leisure was frequently afforded them for the purpose, little edifices +quickly multiplied on the ground allotted them to build upon. + +But as these habitations were intended by Governor Phillip to answer only +the exigency of the moment, the plan of the town was drawn, and the ground +on which it is hereafter to stand surveyed, and marked out. To proceed +on a narrow, confined scale, in a country of the extensive limits we possess, +would be unpardonable: extent of empire demands grandeur of design. +That this has been our view will be readily believed, when I tell the reader, +that the principal street in our projected city will be, when completed, +agreeable to the plan laid down, two hundred feet in breadth, and all the rest +of a corresponding proportion. How far this will be accompanied with adequate +dispatch, is another question, as the incredulous among us are sometimes +hardy enough to declare, that ten times our strength would not be able +to finish it in as many years. + +Invariably intent on exploring a country, from which curiosity promises +so many gratifications, his Excellency about this time undertook an expedition +into the interior parts of the continent. His party consisted of +eleven persons, who, after being conveyed by water to the head of the harbour, +proceeded in a westerly direction, to reach a chain of mountains, +which in clear weather are discernible, though at an immense distance, +from some heights near our encampment. With unwearied industry they continued +to penetrate the country for four days; but at the end of that time, +finding the base of the mountain to be yet at the distance of more than +twenty miles, and provisions growing scarce, it was judged prudent to return, +without having accomplished the end for which the expedition had been +undertaken. To reward their toils, our adventurers had, however, the pleasure +of discovering and traversing an extensive tract of ground, which they +had reason to believe, from the observations they were enabled to make, +capable of producing every thing, which a happy soil and genial climate +can bring forth. In addition to this flattering appearance, the face +of the country is such, as to promise success whenever it shall be cultivated, +the trees being at a considerable distance from each other, and the +intermediate space filled, not with underwood, but a thick rich grass, +growing in the utmost luxuriancy. I must not, however, conceal, that in this +long march, our gentlemen found not a single rivulet, but were under +a necessity of supplying themselves with water from standing pools, +which they met with in the vallies, supposed to be formed by the rains +that fall at particular seasons of the year. Nor had they the good fortune +to see any quadrupeds worth notice, except a few kangaroos. +To their great surprize, they observed indisputable tracks of the natives +having been lately there, though in their whole route none of them were +to be seen; nor any means to be traced, by which they could procure subsistence +so far from the sea shore. + +On the 6th of May the 'Supply' sailed for Lord Howe Island, to take on board +turtle for the settlement; but after waiting there several days was obliged +to return without having seen one, owing we apprehended to the advanced season +of the year. Three of the transports also, which were engaged by the +East India Company to proceed to China, to take on board a lading of tea, +sailed about this time for Canton. + +The unsuccessful return of the 'Supply' cast a general damp on our spirits, +for by this time fresh provisions were become scarcer than in a blockaded town. +The little live stock, which with so heavy an expense, and through so many +difficulties, we had brought on shore, prudence forbade us to use; and fish, +which on our arrival, and for a short time after had been tolerable plenty, +were become so scarce, as to be rarely seen at the tables of the first +among us. Had it not been for a stray kangaroo, which fortune now and then +threw in our way, we should have been utter strangers to the taste +of fresh food. + +Thus situated, the scurvy began its usual ravages, and extended its baneful +influence, more or less, through all descriptions of persons. Unfortunately +the esculent vegetable productions of the country are neither plentiful, +nor tend very effectually to remove this disease. And, the ground we had +turned up and planted with garden seeds, either from the nature of the soil, +or, which is more probable, the lateness of the season, yielded but a scanty +and insufficient supply of what we stood so greatly in need of. + +During the period I am describing, few enormous offences were perpetrated +by the convicts. A petty theft was now and then heard of, and a spirit +of refractory sullenness broke out at times in some individuals: one execution +only, however, took place. The sufferer, who was a very young man, +was convicted of a burglary, and met his fate with a hardiness +and insensibility, which the grossest ignorance, and most deplorable +want of feeling, alone could supply. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + + +From the Beginning of June, to the Departure of the Ships for Europe. + + +Hours of festivity, which under happier skies pass away unregarded, +and are soon consigned to oblivion, acquire in this forlorn and distant circle +a superior degree of acceptable importance. + +On the anniversary of the King's birthday all the officers not on duty, +both of the garrison and his Majesty's ships, dined with the Governor. +On so joyful an occasion, the first too ever celebrated in our new settlement, +it were needless to say, that loyal conviviality dictated every sentiment, +and inspired every guest. Among other public toasts drank, was, +Prosperity to Sydney Cove, in Cumberland county, now named so by authority. +At day-light in the morning the ships of war had fired twenty-one guns each, +which was repeated at noon, and answered by three vollies from the battalion +of marines. + +Nor were the officers alone partakers of the general relaxation. +The four unhappy wretches labouring under sentence of banishment were freed +from their fetters, to rejoin their former society; and three days given +as holidays to every convict in the colony. Hospitality too, which ever +acquires a double relish by being extended, was not forgotten on the +4th of June, when each prisoner, male and female, received an allowance +of grog; and every non-commissioned officer and private soldier had the honor +of drinking prosperity to his royal master, in a pint of porter, +served out at the flag staff, in addition to the customary allowance +of spirits. Bonfires concluded the evening, and I am happy to say, +that excepting a single instance which shall be taken notice of hereafter, +no bad consequence, or unpleasant remembrance, flowed from an indulgence +so amply bestowed. + +About this time (June) an accident happened, which I record with much regret. +The whole of our black cattle, consisting of five cows and a bull, +either from not being properly secured, or from the negligence of those +appointed to take care of them, strayed into the woods, and in spite of all +the search we have been able to make, are not yet found. As a convict +of the name of Corbet, who was accused of a theft, eloped nearly at the same +time, it was at first believed, that he had taken the desperate measure +of driving off the cattle, in order to subsist on them as long as possible; +or perhaps to deliver them to the natives. In this uncertainty, parties +to search were sent out in different directions; and the fugitive declared +an outlaw, in case of not returning by a fixed day. After much anxiety +and fatigue, those who had undertaken the task returned without finding +the cattle. But on the 21st of the month, Corbet made his appearance +near a farm belonging to the Governor, and entreated a convict, who happened +to be on the spot, to give him some food, as he was perishing for hunger. +The man applied to, under pretence of fetching what he asked for, went away +and immediately gave the necessary information, in consequence of which +a party under arms was sent out and apprehended him. When the poor wretch +was brought in, he was greatly emaciated and almost famished. But on proper +restoratives being administered, he was so far recovered by the 24th, +as to be able to stand his trial, when he pleaded Guilty to the robbery +with which he stood charged, and received sentence of death. In the course +of repeated examinations it plainly appeared, he was an utter stranger +to the place where the cattle might be, and was in no shape concerned +in having driven them off. + +Samuel Peyton, convict, for having on the evening of the King's birth-day +broke open an officer's marquee, with an intent to commit robbery, +of which he was fully convicted, had sentence of death passed on him +at the same time as Corbet; and on the following day they were both executed, +confessing the justness of their fate, and imploring the forgiveness of those +whom they had injured. Peyton, at the time of his suffering, was but twenty +years of age, the greatest part of which had been invariably passed in the +commission of crimes, that at length terminated in his ignominious end. +The following letter, written by a fellow convict to the sufferer's unhappy +mother, I shall make no apology for presenting to the reader; it affords +a melancholy proof, that not the ignorant and untaught only have provoked +the justice of their country to banish them to this remote region. + + +Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, +New South Wales, 24th June, 1788. + +"My dear and honoured mother! + +"With a heart oppressed by the keenest sense of anguish, +and too much agitated by the idea of my very melancholy +condition, to express my own sentiments, I have prevailed +on the goodness of a commiserating friend, to do me the +last sad office of acquainting you with the dreadful fate +that awaits me. + +"My dear mother! with what agony of soul do I dedicate the +few last moments of my life, to bid you an eternal adieu! +my doom being irrevocably fixed, and ere this hour to-morrow +I shall have quitted this vale of wretchedness, to enter +into an unknown and endless eternity. I will not distress +your tender maternal feelings by any long comment on the +cause of my present misfortune. Let it therefore suffice +to say, that impelled by that strong propensity to evil, +which neither the virtuous precepts nor example of the best +of parents could eradicate, I have at length fallen an unhappy, +though just, victim to my own follies. + +"Too late I regret my inattention to your admonitions, +and feel myself sensibly affected by the remembrance of +the many anxious moments you have passed on my account. +For these, and all my, other transgressions, however great, +I supplicate the Divine forgiveness; and encouraged by the +promises of that Saviour who died for us all, I trust to +receive that mercy in the world to come, which my offences +have deprived me of all hope, or expectation of, in this. +The affliction which this will cost you, I hope the Almighty +will enable you to bear. Banish from your memory all my +former indiscretions, and let the cheering hope of a happy +meeting hereafter, console you for my loss. Sincerely +penitent for my sins; sensible of the justice of my conviction +and sentence, and firmly relying on the merits of a Blessed +Redeemer, I am at perfect peace with all mankind, and +trust I shall yet experience that peace, which this world +cannot give. Commend my soul to the Divine mercy. +I bid you an eternal farewell. + +"Your unhappy dying Son, + +"SAMUEL PEYTON." + + +After this nothing occurred with which I think it necessary to trouble +the reader. The contents of the following chapters could not, I conceive, +be so properly interwoven in the body of the work; I have, therefore, +assigned them a place by themselves, with a view that the conclusions adopted +in them may be more strongly enforced on the minds of those, to whom they are +more particularly addressed. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + + +The Face of the Country; its Productions, Climate, &c. + + +To the geographical knowledge of this country, supplied by Captain Cook, +and Captain Furneaux, we are able to add nothing. The latter explored +the coast from Van Diemen's land to the latitude of 39 deg south; and Cook from +Point Hicks, which lies in 37 deg 58 min, to Endeavour Streights. +The intermediate space between the end of Furneaux's discovery and Point Hicks, +is, therefore, the only part of the south-east coast unknown, and it +so happened on our passage thither, owing to the weather, which forbade +any part of the ships engaging with the shore, that we are unable to pronounce +whether, or not, a streight intersects the continent hereabouts: though I beg +leave to say, that I have been informed by a naval friend, that when the fleet +was off this part of the coast, a strong set-off shore was plainly felt. + +At the distance of 60 miles inland, a prodigious chain of lofty mountains +runs nearly in a north and south direction, further than the eye can +trace them. Should nothing intervene to prevent it, the Governor intends, +shortly, to explore their summits: and, I think there can be little doubt, +that his curiosity will not go unrewarded. If large rivers do exist +in the country, which some of us are almost sceptical enough to doubt, +their sources must arise amidst these hills; and the direction they run in, +for a considerable distance, must be either due north, or due south. +For it is strikingly singular that three such noble harbours as Botany Bay, +Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, alike end in shallows and swamps, +filled with mangroves. + +The general face of the country is certainly pleasing, being diversified with +gentle ascents, and little winding vallies, covered for the most part with +large spreading trees, which afford a succession of leaves in all seasons. +In those places where trees are scarce, a variety of flowering shrubs abound, +most of them entirely new to an European, and surpassing in beauty, fragrance, +and number, all I ever saw in an uncultivated state: among these, a tall shrub, +bearing an elegant white flower, which smells like English May, +is particularly delightful, and perfumes the air around to a great distance. +The species of trees are few, and, I am concerned to add, the wood universally +of so bad a grain, as almost to preclude a possibility of using it: +the increase of labour occasioned by this in our buildings has been such, +as nearly to exceed belief. These trees yield a profusion of thick red gum +(not unlike the 'sanguis draconis') which is found serviceable in medicine, +particularly in dysenteric complaints, where it has sometimes succeeded, +when all other preparations have failed. To blunt its acrid qualities, +it is usual to combine it with opiates. + +The nature of the soil is various. That immediately round Sydney Cove +is sandy, with here and there a stratum of clay. From the sand we have yet +been able to draw very little; but there seems no reason to doubt, +that many large tracts of land around us will bring to perfection whatever +shall be sown in them. To give this matter a fair trial, some practical +farmers capable of such an undertaking should be sent out; for the spots +we have chosen for experiments in agriculture, in which we can scarce be +supposed adepts, have hitherto but ill repaid our toil, which may be imputable +to our having chosen such as are unfavourable for our purpose. + +Except from the size of the trees, the difficulties of clearing the land +are not numerous, underwood being rarely found, though the country is not +absolutely without it. Of the natural meadows which Mr. Cook mentions +near Botany Bay, we can give no account; none such exist about Port Jackson. +Grass, however, grows in every place but the swamps with the greatest vigour +and luxuriancy, though it is not of the finest quality, and is found to agree +better with horses and cows than sheep. A few wild fruits are sometimes +procured, among which is the small purple apple mentioned by Cook, +and a fruit which has the appearance of a grape, though in taste more like +a green gooseberry, being excessively sour: probably were it meliorated +by cultivation, it would become more palatable. + +Fresh water, as I have said before, is found but in inconsiderable quantities. +For the common purposes of life there is generally enough; but we know +of no stream in the country capable of turning a mill: and the remark made +by Mr. Anderson, of the dryness of the country round Adventure Bay, +extends without exception to every part of it which we have penetrated. + +Previous to leaving England I remember to have frequently heard it asserted, +that the discovery of mines was one of the secondary objects of the expedition. +Perhaps there are mines; but as no person competent to form a decision +is to be found among us, I wish no one to adopt an idea, that I mean to +impress him with such a belief, when I state, that individuals, +whose judgements are not despicable, are willing to think favourably +of this conjecture, from specimens of ore seen in many of the stones +picked up here. I cannot quit this subject without regretting, that some one +capable of throwing a better light on it, is not in the colony. Nor can I help +being equally concerned, that an experienced botanist was not sent out, +for the purpose of collecting and describing the rare and beautiful plants +with which the country abounds. Indeed, we flattered ourselves, when at +the Cape of Good Hope, that Mason, the King's botanical gardener, +who was employed there in collecting for the royal nursery at Kew, +would have joined us, but it seems his orders and engagements prevented him +from quitting that beaten track, to enter on this scene of novelty and variety. + +To the naturalist this country holds out many invitations. Birds, though not +remarkably numerous, are in great variety, and of the most exquisite beauty +of plumage, among which are the cockatoo, lory, and parroquet; but the bird +which principally claims attention is, a species of ostrich, approaching nearer +to the emu of South America than any other we know of. One of them was shot, +at a considerable distance, with a single ball, by a convict employed +for that purpose by the Governor; its weight, when complete, was +seventy pounds, and its length from the end of the toe to the tip of the beak, +seven feet two inches, though there was reason to believe it had not attained +its full growth. On dissection many anatomical singularities were observed: +the gall-bladder was remarkably large, the liver not bigger than that +of a barn-door fowl, and after the strictest search no gizzard could be found; +the legs, which were of a vast length, were covered with thick, strong scales, +plainly indicating the animal to be formed for living amidst deserts; +and the foot differed from an ostrich's by forming a triangle, +instead of being cloven. + +Goldsmith, whose account of the emu is the only one I can refer to, says, +"that it is covered from the back and rump with long feathers, which fall +backward, and cover the anus; these feathers are grey on the back, and white +on the belly." The wings are so small as hardly to deserve the name, +and are unfurnished with those beautiful ornaments which adorn the wings +of the ostrich: all the feathers are extremely coarse, but the construction +of them deserves notice--they grow in pairs from a single shaft, a singularity +which the author I have quoted has omitted to remark. It may be presumed, +that these birds are not very scarce, as several have been seen, some of them +immensely large, but they are so wild, as to make shooting them a matter +of great difficulty. Though incapable of flying, they run with such swiftness, +that our fleetest greyhounds are left far behind in every attempt +to catch them. The flesh was eaten, and tasted like beef. + +Besides the emu, many birds of prodigious size have been seen, which promise +to increase the number of those described by naturalists, whenever we shall +be fortunate enough to obtain them; but among these the bat of the +Endeavour River is not to be found. In the woods are various little songsters, +whose notes are equally sweet and plaintive. + +Of quadrupeds, except the kangaroo, I have little to say. The few met with +are almost invariably of the opossum tribe, but even these do not abound. +To beasts of prey we are utter strangers, nor have we yet any cause to believe +that they exist in the country. And happy it is for us that they do not, +as their presence would deprive us of the only fresh meals the settlement +affords, the flesh of the kangaroo. This singular animal is already known +in Europe by the drawing and description of Mr. Cook. To the drawing nothing +can be objected but the position of the claws of the hinder leg, which are +mixed together like those of a dog, whereas no such indistinctness +is to be found in the animal I am describing. It was the Chevalier De Perrouse +who pointed out this to me, while we were comparing a kangaroo with the plate, +which, as he justly observed, is correct enough to give the world in general a +good idea of the animal, but not sufficiently accurate for the man of science. + +Of the natural history of the kangaroo we are still very ignorant. We may, +however, venture to pronounce this animal, a new species of opossum, +the female being furnished with a bag, in which the young is contained; +and in which the teats are found. These last are only two in number, +a strong presumptive proof, had we no other evidence, that the kangaroo brings +forth rarely more than one at a birth. But this is settled beyond a doubt, +from more than a dozen females having been killed, which had invariably +but one formed in the pouch. Notwithstanding this, the animal may be looked on +as prolific, from the early age it begins to breed at, kangaroos with young +having been taken of not more than thirty pounds weight; and there is room +to believe that when at their utmost growth, they weigh not less than +one hundred and fifty pounds. A male of one hundred and thirty pounds weight +has been killed, whose dimensions were as follows: + + +------------------------------------------------------------------ + Feet. Inches. +Extreme length 7 3 +Ditt of the tail 3 4 1/2 +Ditto of the hinder legs 3 2 +Ditto of the fore paws 1 7 1/2 +Circumference of the tail of the root 1 5 +------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +After this perhaps I shall hardly be credited, when I affirm that the kangaroo +on being brought forth is not larger than an English mouse. It is, however, +in my power to speak positively on this head, as I have seen more than one +instance of it. + +In running, this animal confines himself entirely to his hinder, legs, +which are possessed with an extraordinary muscular power. Their speed +is very great, though not in general quite equal to that of a greyhound; +but when the greyhounds are so fortunate as to seize them, they are incapable +of retaining their hold, from the amazing struggles of the animal. The bound +of the kangaroo, when not hard pressed, has been measured, and found +to exceed twenty feet. + +At what time of the year they copulate, and in what manner, we know not: +the testicles of the male are placed contrary to the usual order of nature. + +When young the kangaroo eats tender and well flavoured, tasting like veal, +but the old ones are more tough and stringy than bullbeef. They are not +carnivorous, and subsist altogether on particular flowers and grass. +Their bleat is mournful, and very different from that of any other animal: +it is, however, seldom heard but in the young ones. + +Fish, which our sanguine hopes led us to expect in great quantities, +do not abound. In summer they are tolerably plentiful, but for some +months past very few have been taken. Botany Bay in this respect exceeds +Port Jackson. The French once caught near two thousand fish in one day, +of a species of grouper, to which, from the form of a bone in the head +resembling a helmet, we have given the name of light horseman. To this +may be added bass, mullets, skait, soles, leather-jackets, and many other +species, all so good in their kind, as to double our regret at their not being +more numerous. Sharks of an enormous size are found here. One of these +was caught by the people on board the Sirius, which measured at the shoulders +six feet and a half in circumference. His liver yielded twenty-four gallons +of oil; and in his stomach was found the head of a shark, which had been +thrown overboard from the same ship. The Indians, probably from having felt +the effects of their voracious fury, testify the utmost horror on seeing +these terrible fish. + +Venomous animals and reptiles are rarely seen. Large snakes beautifully +variegated have been killed, but of the effect of their bites we are happily +ignorant. Insects, though numerous, are by no means, even in summer, +so troublesome as I have found them in America, the West Indies, +and other countries. + +The climate is undoubtedly very desirable to live in. In summer the heats +are usually moderated by the sea breeze, which sets in early; and in winter +the degree of cold is so slight as to occasion no inconvenience; once or twice +we have had hoar frosts and hail, but no appearance of snow. The thermometer +has never risen beyond 84, nor fallen lower than 35, in general it stood +in the beginning of February at between 78 and 74 at noon. Nor is +the temperature of the air less healthy than pleasant. Those dreadful putrid +fevers by which new countries are so often ravaged, are unknown to us: +and excepting a slight diarrhoea, which prevailed soon after we had landed, +and was fatal in very few instances, we are strangers to epidemic diseases. + +On the whole, (thunder storms in the hot months excepted) I know not +any climate equal to this I write in. Ere we had been a fortnight on shore +we experienced some storms of thunder accompanied with rain, than which +nothing can be conceived more violent and tremendous, and their repetition +for several days, joined to the damage they did, by killing several +of our sheep, led us to draw presages of an unpleasant nature. Happily, +however, for many months we have escaped any similar visitations. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + + +The Progress made in the Settlement; and the Situation of Affairs +at the Time of the Ship, which conveys this Account, sailing for England. + + +For the purpose of expediting the public work, the male convicts have been +divided into gangs, over each of which a person, selected from among +themselves, is placed. It is to be regretted that Government did not take +this matter into consideration before we left England, and appoint proper +persons with reasonable salaries to execute the office of overseers; +as the consequence of our present imperfect plan is such, as to defeat +in a great measure the purposes for which the prisoners were sent out. +The female convicts have hitherto lived in a state of total idleness; +except a few who are kept at work in making pegs for tiles, and picking up +shells for burning into lime. For the last time I repeat, that the behaviour +of all classes of these people since our arrival in the settlement +has been better than could, I think, have been expected from them. + +Temporary wooden storehouses covered with thatch or shingles, in which +the cargoes of all the ships have been lodged, are completed; and an hospital +is erected. Barracks for the military are considerably advanced; +and little huts to serve, until something more permanent can be finished, +have been raised on all sides. Notwithstanding this the encampments +of the marines and convicts are still kept up; and to secure their owners +from the coldness of the nights, are covered in with bushes, and thatched over. + +The plan of a town I have already said is marked out. And as freestone +of an excellent quality abounds, one requisite towards the completion +of it is attained. Only two houses of stone are yet begun, which are intended +for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. One of the greatest impediments +we meet with is a want of limestone, of which no signs appear. +Clay for making bricks is in plenty, and a considerable quantity of them +burned and ready for use. + +In enumerating the public buildings I find I have been so remiss as to omit +an observatory, which is erected at a small distance from the encampments. +It is nearly completed, and when fitted up with the telescopes and other +astronomical instruments sent out by the Board of Longitude, will afford +a desirable retreat from the listlessness of a camp evening at Port Jackson. +One of the principal reasons which induced the Board to grant this apparatus +was, for the purpose of enabling Lieutenant Dawes, of the marines, +(to whose care it is intrusted) to make observations on a comet which is +shortly expected to appear in the southern hemisphere. The latitude +of the observatory, from the result of more than three hundred observations, +is fixed at 33 deg 52 min 30 sec south, and the longitude at +151 deg 16 min 30 sec east of Greenwich. The latitude of the south head +which forms the entrance of the harbour, 33 deg 51 min, and that of the +north head opposite to it at 33 deg 49 min 45 sec south. + +Since landing here our military force has suffered a diminution of only +three persons, a serjeant and two privates. Of the convicts fifty-four +have perished, including the executions. Amidst the causes of this mortality, +excessive toil and a scarcity of food are not to be numbered, +as the reader will easily conceive, when informed, that they have the same +allowance of provisions as every officer and soldier in the garrison; +and are indulged by being exempted from labour every Saturday afternoon +and Sunday. On the latter of those days they are expected to attend +divine service, which is performed either within one of the storehouses, +or under a great tree in the open air, until a church can be built. + +Amidst our public labours, that no fortified post, or place of security, +is yet begun, may be a matter of surprise. Were an emergency in the night +to happen, it is not easy to say what might not take place before troops, +scattered about in an extensive encampment, could be formed, so as to act. +An event that happened a few evenings since may, perhaps, be the means +of forwarding this necessary work. In the dead of night the centinels +on the eastern side of the cove were alarmed by the voices of the Indians, +talking near their posts. The soldiers on this occasion acted with +their usual firmness, and without creating a disturbance, acquainted +the officer of the guard with the circumstance, who immediately took +every precaution to prevent an attack, and at the same time gave orders +that no molestation, while they continued peaceable, should be offered them. +From the darkness of the night, and the distance they kept at, it was not easy +to ascertain their number, but from the sound of the voices and other +circumstances, it was calculated at near thirty. To their intentions +in honouring us with this visit (the only one we have had from them +in the last five months) we are strangers, though most probably it was either +with a view to pilfer, or to ascertain in what security we slept, +and the precautions we used in the night. When the bells of the ships +in the harbour struck the hour of the night, and the centinels called out +on their posts "All's well," they observed a dead silence, and continued it +for some minutes, though talking with the greatest earnestness and vociferation +but the moment before. After having remained a considerable time they departed +without interchanging a syllable with our people. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + + +Some Thoughts on the Advantages which may arise to the Mother Country +from forming the Colony. + + +The author of these sheets would subject himself to the charge of presumption, +were he to aim at developing the intentions of Government in forming +this settlement. But without giving offence, or incurring reproach, +he hopes his opinion on the probability of advantage to be drawn from hence +by Great Britain, may be fairly made known. + +If only a receptacle for convicts be intended, this place stands unequalled +from the situation, extent, and nature of the country. When viewed +in a commercial light, I fear its insignificance will appear very striking. +The New Zealand hemp, of which so many sanguine expectations were formed, +is not a native of the soil; and Norfolk Island, where we made sure to find +this article, is also without it. So that the scheme of being able to assist +the East Indies with naval stores, in case of a war, must fall to the ground, +both from this deficiency, and the quality of the timber growing here. +Were it indeed possible to transport that of Norfolk Island, its value +would be found very great, but the difficulty, from the surf, +I am well informed, is so insuperable as to forbid the attempt. +Lord Howe Island, discovered by Lieut. Ball, though an inestimable acquisition +to our colony, produces little else than the mountain cabbage tree. + +Should a sufficient military force be sent out to those employed in cultivating +the ground, I see no room to doubt, that in the course of a few years, +the country will be able to yield grain enough for the support of its new +possessors. But to effect this, our present limits must be greatly extended, +which will require detachments of troops not to be spared from the present +establishment. And admitting the position, the parent country will still +have to supply us for a much longer time with every other necessary of life. +For after what we have seen, the idea of being soon able to breed cattle +sufficient for our consumption, must appear chimerical and absurd. +From all which it is evident, that should Great Britain neglect to send out +regular supplies, the most fatal consequences will ensue. + +Speculators who may feel inclined to try their fortunes here, will do well +to weigh what I have said. If golden dreams of commerce and wealth +flatter their imaginations, disappointment will follow: the remoteness +of situation, productions of the country, and want of connection +with other parts of the world, justify me in the assertion. But to men +of small property, unambitious of trade, and wishing for retirement, +I think the continent of New South Wales not without inducements. +One of this description, with letters of recommendation, and a sufficient +capital (after having provided for his passage hither) to furnish him +with an assortment of tools for clearing land, agricultural and domestic +purposes; possessed also of a few household utensils, a cow, a few sheep +and breeding sows, would, I am of opinion, with proper protection +and encouragement, succeed in obtaining a comfortable livelihood, +were he well assured before he quitted his native country, that a provision +for him until he might be settled, should be secured; and that a grant of land +on his arrival would be allotted him. + +That this adventurer, if of a persevering character and competent knowledge, +might in the course of ten years bring matters into such a train as to +render himself comfortable and independent, I think highly probable. +The superfluities of his farm would enable him to purchase European commodities +from the masters of ships, which will arrive on Government account, +sufficient to supply his wants. But beyond this he ought not to reckon, +for admitting that he might meet with success in raising tobacco, rice, indigo, +or vineyards (for which last I think the soil and climate admirably adapted), +the distance of a mart to vend them at, would make the expense +of transportation so excessive, as to cut off all hopes of a reasonable profit; +nor can there be consumers enough here to take them off his hands, +for so great a length of time to come, as I shall not be at the trouble +of computing. + +Should then any one, induced by this account, emigrate hither, let him, +before he quits England, provide all his wearing apparel for himself, family, +and servants; his furniture, tools of every kind, and implements of husbandry +(among which a plough need not be included, as we make use of the hoe), +for he will touch at no place where they can be purchased to advantage. +If his sheep and hogs are English also, it will be better. For wines, +spirits, tobacco, sugar, coffee, tea, rice, poultry, and many other articles, +he may venture to rely on at Teneriffe or Madeira, the Brazils and +Cape of Good Hope. It will not be his interest to draw bills on his +voyage out, as the exchange of money will be found invariably against him, +and a large discount also deducted. Drafts on the place he is to touch at, +or cash (dollars if possible) will best answer his end. + +To men of desperate fortune and the lowest classes of the people, +unless they can procure a passage as indented servants, similar to the custom +practised of emigrating to America, this part of the world offers +no temptation: for it can hardly be supposed, that Government will be fond +of maintaining them here until they can be settled, and without such support +they must starve. + +Of the Governor's instructions and intentions relative to the disposal +of the convicts, when the term of their transportation shall be expired, +I am ignorant. They will then be free men, and at liberty, I apprehend, +either to settle in the country, or to return to Europe. The former will be +attended with some public expense; and the latter, except in particular cases, +will be difficult to accomplish, from the numberless causes which prevent +a frequent communication between England and this continent. + + + + +POSTSCRIPT + + + +Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, New South Wales. + + +October 1st, 1788. Little material has occurred in this colony since +the departure of the ships for England, on the 14th July last. On the 20th +of that month His Majesty's ship Supply, Captain Ball, sailed for +Norfolk Island, and returned on the 26th August. Our accounts from thence +are more favourable than were expected. The soil proves admirably adapted +to produce all kinds of grain, and European vegetables. But the discovery +which constitutes its value is the New Zealand flax, plants of which +are found growing in every part of the island in the utmost luxuriancy +and abundance. This will, beyond doubt, appear strange to the reader +after what has been related in the former part of my work: and in future, +let the credit of the testimony be as high as it may, I shall never +without diffidence and hesitation presume to contradict the narrations +of Mr. Cook. The truth is, that those sent to settle and explore the island +knew not the form in which the plant grows, and were unfurnished with +every particular which could lead to a knowledge of it. Unaccountable as this +may sound, it is, nevertheless, incontestably true. Captain Ball brought away +with him several specimens for inspection, and, on trial, by some flax-dressers +among us, the threads produced from them, though coarse, are pronounced to be +stronger, more likely to be durable, and fitter for every purpose +of manufacturing cordage, than any they ever before dressed. + +Every research has been made by those on the island to find a landing-place, +whence it might be practicable to ship off the timber growing there, +but hitherto none has been discovered. A plan, however, for making one +has been laid before the Governor, and is at present under consideration, +though (in the opinion of many here) it is not such an one as will be found +to answer the end proposed. + +Lieut. King and his little garrison were well when the 'Supply' left them: +but I am sorry to add, that, from casualties, their number is already five less +than it originally was. A ship from hence is ready to sail with an increase +of force, besides many convicts for the purpose of sawing up timber, +and turning the flax-plant to advantage. + +So much for Norfolk. In Port Jackson all is quiet and stupid as could +be wished. We generally hear the lie of the day as soon as the beating +of the Reveille announces the return of it; find it contradicted by breakfast +time; and pursue a second through all its varieties, until night, +welcome as to a lover, gives us to sleep and dream ourselves transported +to happier climes. + +Let me not, however, neglect telling you the little news which presents itself. +All descriptions of men enjoy the highest state of health; and the convicts +continue to behave extremely well. A gang of one hundred of them, guarded +by a captain, two subalterns and 20 marines, is about to be sent up to the head +of the harbour, at the distance of 3 leagues, in a westerly direction, +from Sydney Cove, for the purpose of establishing a settlement there. +The convicts are to be employed in putting the land around into cultivation, +as it appears to be of a more promising nature than that near the encampment. +Indeed this last hitherto succeeds but very indifferently, though I do not +yet despair, that when good seeds can be procured, our toil will be better +rewarded. But as this is an event at a distance, and in itself very +precarious, Governor Phillip has determined on procuring a supply of flour +and other necessaries from the Cape of Good Hope, as our stock on hand is found +to be, on examination, not quite so ample as had been reckoned upon. +To execute this purpose his Excellency has ordered the Sirius to prepare +for the voyage; by which conveyance the opportunity of writing to you +is afforded me. It was at first intended to dispatch the Sirius to some +of the neighbouring islands (the Friendly or Society) in the Pacific Ocean, +to procure stock there, but the uselessness of the scheme, joined to the +situation of matters here, has, happily for us, prevented its being put +into execution. + + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Expedition to Botany Bay, by Tench + |