202 HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, ETC., 



already mentioned had been forgotten, Cook explored the eastern 

 coast, from Cape Home to Cape York, and called its whole extent 

 New South Wales. 



Researches were again suspended until after the establishment of the 

 convict colony, and in 1798 Flinders and Bass discovered the straits 

 which bear the name of the latter, which separate Van Diemen's from 

 the main land, and sapled around that island. To the country adjacent 

 to these straits, the name of Bass's Land was given ; and in 1803, 

 Grant explored the coast to the west of it. Flinders, who was for 

 several years engaged in making surveys on the eastern coast, also 

 connected the land discovered by Grant, with that of Van Nuyt, and 

 re-examined the latter. It is to Flinders that we owe our most precise 

 knowledge of the general geographical features of the eastern and 

 southern coast of Australia ; and since the close of his labours, 

 Captain P. P. King, of H. B. M. Navy, has been engaged, and other 

 officers are now assiduously employed, in surveying the northern coast. 

 The interior, as has been already stated, has been made the subject of 

 numerous exploring tours by the surveyors of the colony, and other 

 persons employed by the British government. 



The territory included under the name of New South Wales is the 

 eastern portion of Australia, and extends from the twenty-third to the 

 thirty-eighth degree of south latitude. The power of its governor, 

 however, extends further, and within his jurisdiction are included the 

 whole eastern coast, from Cape York to Wilson's Promontory, or 

 between latitude 10° 37' and 39° 2' S. ; with the country inland as far 

 as the meridian of 129° E. Moreton Bay on the northern, and Port 

 Philip on the southern coast, with Norfolk Island, and all others 

 between it and the coast, are also placed under his authority. 



The epoch whence the history of the colony dates, is the year 1787, 

 when the eastern coast was chosen by the British government as the 

 site of a penal colony. The convicts hold so prominent a part in the 

 events which have occurred since that period, that their history may 

 be almost considered as that of New South Wales. 



Botany Bay, in consequence of extravagant ideas formed of its 

 excellence as a harbour, and the fertility of the country around it, 

 was the portion chosen for the settlement. The first gang of convicts 

 se,nt out was composed of six hundred male and two hundred and 

 fifty female criminals, who were guarded by a body of troops con- 

 sisting of two hundred officers and soldiers. About forty of the 

 soldiers were married, and had their wives and children with them. 

 The whole were under the direction of Captain Philips, who held the 

 appointment of governor. 



