INTRODUCTORY 25 



great obstacle to a free passage up the port." On the 3rd of May at 

 daylight the anchor was weighed and Flinders continued his voyage, 

 anchoring safely in Port Jackson six days later. 



Governor King was greatly interested in the descriptions given 

 by Murray and Flinders of the newly discovered territory. He 

 believed it to be much better adapted for agricultural purposes than 

 the poor soil about Port Jackson, and in his despatches to the 

 Home Government he urged the desirability of attempting a settle- 

 ment there, laying particular stress upon the possibility of that pro- 

 ject being forestalled by the French, whose exploring vessels were 

 still off the coast. To confirm his opinion as to the suitability of 

 the country for settlement, he despatched the sloop Cumberland, 

 under the command of Lieut. C. Bobbins, in November, with 

 Mr. Surveyor-General Grimes and a suitable staff of assistants, 

 their official instructions being that they were to walk round and 

 thoroughly survey the shores of Port Phillip. The detailed report 

 of this interesting journey, with its accompanying manuscript chart, 

 was pigeon-holed in some Government department in Sydney, and 

 forgotten for three-quarters of a century. It was discovered in 

 1877 by Mr. J. J. Shillinglaw while searching the records for 

 materials for a life of Flinders, and its publication put an end 

 to the rival claims of Batman and Fawkner to be regarded as 

 the original discoverers of the Yarra. 



Owing to detentions in Bass Strait for the examination of 

 King's Island and other places, the Cumberland did not enter the 

 Heads until the 20th of January, 1803. The survey commenced on 

 the following morning, and was continued without intermission 

 until the 26th of February, during which period the entire coast line 

 of the bay was traversed on foot, the vessel following within easy 

 reach of communication. Having taken their bearings from the 

 top of Arthur's Seat, the party proceeded up the east coast and 

 reached the mouth of the Yarra on the thirteenth day. They 

 ascended the Salt Water River as far as Solomon Ford, Braybrook, 

 and having examined the surrounding country and taken speci- 

 mens of the soil, they returned to the junction, and next day 

 ascended the Yarra, landing within the site of the present City of 

 Melbourne. They devoted five days to an examination of the 



