48 HISTORY or 



determination he had made to fix at Port 

 Jackson, and the removal would have taken 

 place the next morning, had not two strange 

 sail appeared about day light ; these surprized 

 us, till we ascertained they were the Boussole 

 and Astrolabe, on their return from a voyage 

 of discovery from France, under M. de la 

 Perouse. As Capt. Hunter was working the 

 Sirius out of Botany Bay as M. de la Perouse 

 entered, tbey had hardly time to speak. Gover- 

 nor Phillip, with a party of artificers taken from 

 the convicts and seamen of the Sirius, and a 

 few marines, arrived at Port Jackson on the 

 25th, and on the next day, ground enough was 

 cleared to encamp the Governor's guard. The 

 convicts landed that morning near a stream of 

 fresh water, at the head of a cove. On this first 

 inhabited spot, from that time tranquillity 

 ceased, and the foundation of a new country 

 usurped the seat of silence. The whole party 

 that had arrived, were assembled this evening 

 on the point, where they landed, on which was 

 erected a flag- staff, the Union- Jack was dis- 

 played, and the marines fired several vollies ; 

 between these, the healths of the Royal Family, 

 and success to the New Colony, were drank by 

 the Governor and Officers, and to conclude the 

 evening, the Sirius and convoy, arrived from 

 Botany Bay. Thus closed the voyage to New 

 South Wales, with all the good fortune that 

 could be wished, and with considerably more 

 than might reasonably be expected. Next day 

 the disembarkment commenced, and continued 



