NEW SOUTH WALES. 57 



CHAP. III. 



In the beginning 'Of February, the Colony suf- 

 fered great inconvenience from the rain, and 

 on the 6th, 2 lambs, 6- sheep, and a r/ig* were 

 destroyed by lightning, at the foot of a. tree. 

 In the beginning of March, the Governor took 

 an excursion for a few days, under the idea of 

 finding several spots of good land, near Broken 

 Bay, but without success. The weather became 

 now equally averse to labour and health, the 

 sick list amounted to 200 ; for the reception of 

 these a building was erected, one ward for the 

 troops, and a second for the convicts. Barracks 

 likewise were began for the detachment, but all 

 building was retarded, by the bad quality of the 

 wood, which was both shakey and rotten. 



The French now departed from Botany 



Bay, but previous to their sailing buried the 



Abbe L- Receveur, not far from where their 



tents were erected, and on the tree at the foot 



of which he was laid, were nailed two pieces of 



board, with the following inscription : 



Hie jacet 



L. Receveur 



Ex F. F. Minoribus 



Gallic Sacerdos. 



Physicus in Circumnavigatione Mundi 



Duce D. de la Perouse, 



Obit Die 17 Feb r . Anno 



1788. 



I 



