N E V/ SOUTH W ALES 
CHAPTER VIL ' - ' 
Removal from Botany Bay — Arrival of two Fre'nch fips~ Account 
of them — Preparations for encampment- — Difficulties — u curvy 
Breaks out- — Account of the red and yeUow gum trees,, 
pREPAR AT IONS for a general removal were now c h a f..- 
made with all convenient expedition : but on the ^ — r 
morning of the 24th thegreatell ailoniOiment was fpread January 24:^ 
throughout the fleet by the appearance of two iliips, 
under French colours. In this remote region viiitors 
from Europe v/ere very Uttle expedled? and their arrival, 
while the caufe of it remained unknown, produced in 
fome minds a tempor-^iy apprehenfion, accompanied by 
a multiplicity of conjecStures, many of them fufficiently 
ridiculous. Governor Phillip was the firft to recollect 
that tv/o Ihips had been fent out fome time before from 
France for the purpofe of difcovery, and rightly con- 
cluded thefe to be the fame. But as the oppolition of 
the wind, and a ftrong current prevented them at prefent 
from working into the harbour, and even drove them 
out of fight again to the fouth, he did not think proper 
