140 MELVILLE ISLAND SETTLEMENT. 



tary and convicts, the latter chiefly mechanics. 

 On September 20th^ they arrived at Port Essing-ton^ 

 when formal possession was taken of the whole of the 

 coast between the 129th and 135th meridians of east 

 longitude. A sufliciency of fresh water not being' 

 found at this place it was determined to proceed to 

 Melville Island^ where they arrived on the 30th^ and 

 commenced forming' the settlement of Fort Dundas 

 in Apsley Strait. This settlement^ however^ after 

 an existence of four years, was abandoned on March 

 81st^ 1829, in consequence of the continued unfa- 

 vourable accounts transmitted to the Home Govern- 

 ment. Hostilities with the natives had early com- 

 menced^ and several lives were lost on either side. 



Meanwhile in anticipation of the abandonment of 

 Melville Island^ it had been resolved to found a 

 second settlement upon the north coast of Austraha. 

 For tliis pm^pose_, H.M.S. Success^ Captain Stirling-^ 

 with a convoy of three vessels conveying* troops^ 

 convicts^ stores^ and provisions^ sailed from Sydney^ 

 and arrived at Raffles' Bay on June 17th, 1827. 

 Next day the new settlement of Fort AVelling*ton 

 was formed. A grand error was made in the ^ ery 

 beo'innino' for the site was chosen behind a mud-bank, 

 dry at low tides^ in order to secure proximity to a 

 lag'oon of fresh water^ which after all disappeared 

 towards the close of the dry season. At first the 

 natives committed many depredations^ chiefly during* 

 the nio'ht. About a month after the foundino- of 

 the settlement^ it was thought necessary to order 



