1787.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 3 



The convicts, for whofe difpofal this fpcculation was undertaken, con* 

 lifted of 565 men and 192 women; and every neceffary arrangement 

 liaving been made by the naval and military commanders, which 

 feemed beft calculated to enfure a fortunate termination to the voyage, 

 on Sunday, the 13th of May 1787, the little fleet, which had pre- 

 vioufly collected at the Mother Bank, failed with a leading wind 

 through the Needle Paffage, accompanied by the honourable Captain 

 De Courcy, in the Hyaana frigate. 



As this fhip was to proceed with the fleet only to a certain latitude, 

 {he foon quitted it, and this band of adventurers were left to purfue 

 their way to the Ifland of Teneriffe, which port they ihortly after 

 reached. The mips were immediately moored, the matters taking the 

 ■precaution of buoying their cables with empty cafks, to prevent their 

 being injured by rocks or foul ground ; an inconvenience which had 

 been frequently experienced by navigators in this road. 



His Excellency the Marquis de Branceforte, the governor of the 

 ifland, politely offering Captain Phillip whatever affiftance he might 

 need, and that was in his power to furnifh, the provifioning and wa- 

 tering of the fleet was foon completed, and at the end of a week it 

 -again put to fea. 



Nothing remarkable occurred during their flay here, except the de- 

 fertion of John Powers, one of the convicts, who Was however, by the 

 activity of the matter of the tranfport in which he had embarked (a 

 penalty of forty pounds being the forfeiture on his entire efcape) and 

 a party of marines, foon recovered, and fent on board his fhip, with 

 directions for his being heavily ironed. 



While light airs detained the fleet between the Iflands of Teneriffe 

 and the Grand Canary, they had a fine view of the celebrated Peak of 

 Teneriffe, lifting its venerable and majeftic head above the neighbour- 

 ing hills, many of which were of considerable height, and perhaps 

 rather diminiflied the grandeur of the Peak itfelf, the altitude of which 

 was underftood to be 15,396 feet, only 148 yards fhort of three 

 miles. 



b i The 



