SOME FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE OF BANKS. 19/ 
A full account of his colonial services will be found in the “ Historical 
Records.” He was a correspondent of Sir Joseph Banks, although 
I cannot find any letters of his in the Records. Following are abstracts 
of three of his letters to Sir Joseph (Quaritch collection) : — 
(a) July 8, 1800, 3 pages, 4to, written just after his return from 
New South Wales — 
By my long and protracted residence abroad to which I was forced by the 
importance of the offices I held in X. S. Wales, I found on my return that I had 
lost the opportunity of returning to the line m which I hatl been bred, and applied 
to the Duke of Portland . . . for some appointment under Government, &c., 
and asks Sir Joseph to mention him to the Duke. 
(b) 4 pages, 4to, dated Hobart Town, Derwent River, Van Dieman’s 
Land, 20 July, 1804. 
He mentions Robert Brown and Dryander, and sends home specimens 
of plants and animals, &c., the whole forming a history of the little 
settlement in its infant stage. 
I have much pleasure in addressing you from this part of the world, on which 
I established the settlement, with the Government of which I had been honoured, 
on the 20th of last February ... I was landed here v^ery nearly for five months 
with little more than half my people, provisions and stores, yet I have got about 
24 acres in grain of different sorts, and 4 acres cleared for a garden adjoining to 
my little town ... I am confident my Lord Hobart will not abandon or forget 
his little colony, his j)rotege. . . . The river for these six weeks, has been full 
of whales . . . Three or four sliips might have lain at anchor, and with ease 
have filled all their cargoes . . . The Derwent was found to abound with 
whales in 8eptr. last, &c. 
(c) 2 full pages, 4to, Hobart Town, Van Dieman’s Land, 1st 
October, 1808 ; — 
You have no doubt ere this heard of the arrest of Governor Bligh by the officers 
of the X. S. Wales Corps upon the 2(>th Jany. last ... 1 received a letter 
from him a few days since through Col. Paterson at Port Dalrymple . . . 
expressing his determination not to quit the Colony. He has been indignantly 
treated and torn from his Government . . . His honour and truth will never- 
theless surmount the wicked representations of his enemies, &c. Col. Paterson 
proceeds to Sydney to assume command. 
He (Collins) has asked the Government for leave to quit the settle- 
ment, having from its beginning established the colony, “ which will 
very shortly become a place of material importance.” He sends Sir 
Joseph a pair of black swans — a whale ship is just proceeding to 
England, having taken in this river 180 tuns of black whale oil. On 
19th February, 1804, he laid the first stone of the present city of 
Hobart Town, and continued Governor until his death, 24th March, 
1810, at age of 54. 
5. Lieut. -Governor Col. William Paterson* was born at Montrose, 
Scotland, in 175-5. He had the reputation of being a scientific man. He 
was a F.R.S., and from time to time he sent specimens (chiefly 
• See also Proe. liny. Soc. N.S.W., xUi, 116. 
