404 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [Foruary, 



On the 19th of the, month the Governor went on an excurfion to 

 Botany Bay, in order to explore George's River as far up as was prac- 

 ticable, and to examine the foil upon its banks, which he found to be 

 of good quality, and confiderablc extent. This river, which was obferved 

 to run in a wefterly direction about twenty-five miles up from Botany 

 Bay, was, in many parts of its branches, exceedingly pidurefque ; and 

 navigable for fmall craft, for at lead twenty miles up. Some of its 

 creeks, or branches, reached within a fmall diftance of Profped 

 Hill. Between this river and Parramatta, the Governor, on his 

 return, travelled through a thick bufhy wood, covering an excellent 

 foil. 



Ereding a granary, completing a wind-mill, and repairing the public 

 roads, formed the principal works daring January; in which the 

 weather had been mod uncomfortably hot, accompanied with fome 

 fevere thunder ftorms, during one of which both the fiag-ftaffat the 

 South Head, and that at the entrance of the Cove, on Point Mafikelyne, 

 were fhivered to pieces by the lightning. The vaft blazes of fire 

 which were feen in every diredion, and which were frefhened by every 

 blaft of wind, added much to the fuffocating heat that prevailed. 



The natives excited fome little degree of curiofity by affembling in 

 the beginning of February at the lower part of the harbour ; whither 

 thofe belonging to Sydney immediately repaired, for the purpofe, as 

 it was reported, of meeting them in fight ; but it proved to be nothing 

 more than the ufual ceremony which a native of Broken Bay un- 

 derwent, of having feveral fpears thrown at him, for having, as was 

 faid, killed a perfon belonging to Port Jackfon. He went off un~ 

 hurt, after fuftaining the appearance of much rage and violence from 

 the friends of the deceafed. 



Some heavy rain fell mod feafonably during the latter part of the 

 month, as it ferved to extinguiih the Mill glowing embers of the vail fires 

 w T hicti had furrounded the place, and which, being Scattered over the 

 country every dry and windy day, occafioned new and dreadful con- 

 flagrations* 



