118 FIRST SETTLEMENT AT DERWENT. 



for settlement was unfavouraldo. They tlien proceeded in 

 the Ciimhcrland to Port Phillip, where they remained six 

 weeks, Grimes making an accurate survey of the Port 

 both by s.^a and land, discoverini;: the River Yarra, and 

 bringing away a more lavonra])le impression of the 

 King to iiobaic country, but, as Kiuir savs, with no very promisintr 



9 May, 1803. , "ii ^ -^i .i . i * t^ • < t i i ' i i ^ 



p. 77, ic. hopes that eitlier that })hK'e or Kings Island would ever 



be found an eligible place for an agricultural settlement. 



joun?ai"^'i9 On leaving Port Phillip, Robbins sailed direct for Port 

 Jackson, where he arrived on 7tli March, having been 

 absent about throe months and a half. It does not appear 

 why he did not fulfil the rest of his instructions and go on 

 to Storm Bay Passage. Perhaps, having seen the French 

 ships sail away to the westward and fairly off the English 

 premises, he conceived the danger to be at an end. 

 King, at any rate, was perfectly satisfied, and writos to 

 the Admiralty that Robbins had conductcMl the sorvire 

 entrusted to him very much to his satisfaction, and icinjirks 



Kinjf o Nepean, that " lUokiiig the French Commander actinainted with 



9 Ma V, 1803. -. ."^ ^,. -y. ,^. »T^, ,,T 



my inleniion oi settling van Diemens Land was all I 

 sought by this voyage." 



The fear that the French might yet make a descent on 

 Van Dicmen's Land still weigln^d on King'.s mind. As 

 we have seen, before the Cmvherhnid sailed he had 

 d(^termincd to send the Porpoise, on hor arrival from 

 Tahiti, to make a settlement. The return of Robbins 

 with unfiivourable reports of King's Island and Port 

 Phillip had satisfied him that neither of those jilaces was 

 adajited for settlement, and he once more fixed his 

 attention on the point which, now tiiat Bandin had left 

 Bass' Straits, appeared to be most threatened. He 

 therefore resolved to limit his action to Storm Bay 

 Passage, and immediately took steps to carry out his 

 resolution. 

 King to NepcTin, He rejKjrted his intention to the Admiralty, and says in 

 .!'•' . jjj^ despatch, *' My reasons \\)Y making this settlement are 

 the necessity there ajjpeais of |)reventiiig the French 

 gaining a footing on the east side of these islands ; to 

 divide the convicts ; to secure another place for obtaining 

 tindjer with any other natural |»roductions that may be 

 discovered and found useful ; the advantages that may 



Hnrrimjlon^ ut New Year's Lslaiwl, on tlic western siilc of King'.s 

 Islaml, in 10 week.s (19tii March to 'JTtli -Miiy) killed HOO sea 

 elephanta and 4300 seals 



