THE SETTLEMENT OF 1803 33 



there are at this moment between three and four hundred people 

 sitting down cheerfully with no other or more certain supply of 

 water than what is filtered daily through the perforated sides of 

 six or eight casks which are sunk in the sand." 



Nevertheless, he felt bound to await the approval of his senior 

 officer before taking the important step of withdrawal, and it was 

 necessary to make at least a show of occupation. His orders were 

 imperative to discharge the store-ship on arrival under penalty of 

 heavy claims for demurrage. So on the fourth day he went on 

 shore at a spot which he named Sullivan's Bay, and finding that 

 fresh water could be obtained by sinking casks in the sand, and 

 that adjoining the beach there was a level plot of some five acres 

 suitable for an encampment, he decided to effect a landing of the 

 convicts and the stores forthwith. He had, it is true, devoted the 

 three preceding days to a cursory examination of both sides of the 

 bay in the neighbourhood of the Heads, but had found some objec- 

 tions to each spot visited. Had he been prompted by a desire to 

 make the settlement a permanent one, it is certain he would not 

 have landed his people where he did, but having made up his mind 

 to an early departure, and only intending to await a confirmation of 

 his views from Port Jackson, he concluded that the nearer he was 

 to the entrance of the port the easier it would be to get away. 

 Hence, he planted his experimental colony on the narrow penin- 

 sula of waterless, sandy downs that acts as a breakwater to keep in 

 check " the long wash of Australasian seas " from invading the 

 peaceful waters of Port Phillip. The exact locality has been identi- 

 fied as lying between two points known as " The Sisters," half a 

 mile to the east of the pier at Sorrento. 



Here then, at nine o'clock on Sunday morning, the 16th of 

 October, 1803, commenced the landing of the prisoners and their 

 guards, with all their impedimenta. It is easy to imagine that the 

 poor wretches hailed with delight a release from the close quarters 

 they had occupied for six months, and were doubtless recklessly 

 indifferent about the quality of the soil or the permanence of the 

 water supply. It was two o'clock before the last boat-load reached 

 the shore, and there was much to do before darkness overtook 



them. The bulk of the convicts were domiciled in tents which 

 VOL. i. 3 



