GOVERNORS PHILLIP AND KING, 363 
In latitude 29 3' 45" South, and longitude 167 
58' 6" East from London, was discovered, by 
Captain Cook, October 10, 1774, and named by 
him from the noble family which bears the title 
of Norfolk. It is about 600 miles from New 
Zealand, and about 900 from Sydney. It appears 
to have been formed by the eruption of volcanic 
matter from the bed of the sea ; and is estimated 
to contain about 10,000 acres. 
It was not until nearly fourteen years after 
the discovery of Norfolk Island that steps were 
taken by the Government for the occupation of 
the place, which had remained entirely unin- 
habited. On the 14th February, 1788, a few 
settlers, consisting of a small number of marines 
and convicts, and two agricultural labourers, 
were sent thither by Governor Phillip, under the 
command of Lieutenant P. G. King. 
By the year 1790, a great increase had taken 
place in the number of convicts, and there were 
then upwards of 500 persons on the island. 
In September, 1800, Lieutenant King became 
Governor of New South Wales, on the retire- 
ment of Captain Hunter, who had been 
Governor for five years. Not long after quitting 
Norfolk Island, Governor King recommended 
its entire abandonment. Many hundreds of 
acres of land had at that time been brought 
into cultivation; and several costly buildings,, 
belonging both to Government and private in- 
dividuals, had been erected. There was a 
population of a thousand souls ; and the quan- 
tity of cattle, pigs, poultry, and goats was 
abundant. 
