138 A. D. 1788. 



1788, January — Captain Arthur Phillip of the navy, appointed go- 

 vernor of the intended colony in New South Wales, arrived at Botany 

 bay in that country- with his fleet of tranfports and his colonifts, to- 

 gether with a flock of horfes. cows, fheep, goats, rabbits, and poultry^ 

 in January 1 788. But not liking the harbour nor the appearance of 

 the country around it, he removed to Port-Jackfon, the next harbour ta 

 the northward, where he found a foil generally good, and a country 

 thinly inhabited by a race of black people in the lowefl: ftate of favage 

 life : and there he eftablifhed his colony, confifling chiefly of convids, 

 whofe defcendents, when purified from the vicious habits of the firft 

 fettlers, may perhaps make an important figure in the hifloric page of 

 the nineteenth century. 



Connected with the commencement of this extraordinary colony was 

 the laft intelligence received in Europe concerning the illuftrious French 

 navigator, Mr. De la Peroufe, who arrived in Botany bay a few days 

 after Governor Phillip. Two frigates, called the Bouflble and the Aftro- 

 lable *; failed from Breft on the i" of Augufl 1785 under the command 

 of Commodore De la Peroufe and Captain De Langle, who were ac- 

 companied by men of the firft abilities in every fuitable department of 

 fcience and the arts. The important objedl of their voyage was to fup- 

 ply whatever was wanting, and to afcertain whatever was doubtful, in 

 the difcoveries of preceding navigators, fo as to render the geography 

 of the whole world full and complete ; and alfo to difperfe ufeful veget- 

 ables throughout the innumerable iflands of the South fea for the be- 

 nevolent purpofes of adding to the comforts of the natives, and fiirnifli- 

 ing refreftiments to the navigators of fucceeding ages. Neither was any 

 thing omitted in the king's inftrudions to the commander, which could 

 tend to promote the interefts of the French commerce and pohcy, or of 

 general fcience. The commodore, having made the weft coaft of North 

 America at Mount S'. Ellas in about 60° north latitude, traced that coaft, 

 of which Captain Cook had for the moft part only a tranfient view, as 

 far as Monterey, a Spanifti fettlement in California, and conftrudled a 

 chart of it, which, from the number of accurate obfervers, and the good- 

 nefs of the inftruments f , employed in afcertaining the pofitions, he re- 

 commends with an honeft conlbioulnels of diligence and abilities, to the 

 confidence of navigators and the learned :{:. The navigators afterwards 



* BoufTole fignifies the compafs. Aftrolabe and every chart and paper that could be of fervice 



is the name of an tnftrument formerly ufed for tak- to him. 



ing the height of the fun and other objects, and J With refpecl to particular points and bars, 



for folving many problems in agronomy. much was added by the fucceeding furveys of our 



f It is pleafing to relate, that the Britifh ad- vcflcls engaged in the fur trade. But alt prcced- 



jniralty, mindful of the attention of the French ing charts of this coaft muft be fiiperfeded, whether 



government to Captain Cook's fhips, when return- we confider the accuracy or the minute detail, by 



ing from a fimllar voyage, prefented to Mr. De that which was conftrufted bv Captain Vaiicourer 



la Peroufe the chronometer and the azimuth com- from a conftant clofe examination of the numerous 



pafs, that had been ufed by that great navigator, channeli, moftly performed in his boats iu the 



years 1 792-1 794. 



