NEW HOLLAND, 77! 
tion, contrary to that which Capt. Cook experienced on 
a fimilar occafion. Provilions were fo cheap, that, though 
the allowance of meat was fixed by the governor at twenty 
ounces per day, the men were victualled completely at 
3|d. each, including rice, vegetables, and every other 
neeeflary. Wine was not at this time to be had except 
at an advanced price : but rum was laid in, and l'uch feeds 
and plants procured as Were thought molt likely to flou- 
rifh in New South Wales; particularly coffee, indigo, 
cotton, and the cochineal-fig. An hundred lacks of caf- 
fada were likewife purchafed as a fubftitute for bread, if 
it lliould happen to be fcarce. By the kindnefs of the 
viceroy alfo, iome deficiencies in the military ftores were 
made up from the royal arfenal, and every afliftance given 
which the place could afford. They arrived here on the 
5th of Auguft, 17S7 ; and fet fail on the 4th of September, 
receiving as the laft compliment from the governor a falute 
of twenty-one guns. 
From Rio de Janeiro the fleet had a fine run to Table 
Bay, in the fouthern extremity of Africa, which they 
accomplilhed in thirty-nine days ; where they took in the 
refrefhments meant to fupply them during the remainder 
of the voyage. Here they arrived on the 13th of October; 
and, having fupplied themfelves with a great number of 
live flock, they fet fail on the 12th of November, but were 
long impeded by contrary winds from the fouth-eaft. On 
the 25th they were only eighty leagues diftant from the 
Cape, when Gov. Phillip left the Siriu,s.and went on-board 
the Supply tender; in hopes, by leaving the convoy, to 
gain fufficient time for examining the country round 
Botany Bay, that the moft proper fituation for the new 
colony might bechofen before the tranfports fhould arrive. 
On the 3d of January, 1788, the Supply came within fight 
of New South Wales; but the winds then became variable, 
and a current, which at times fet very ftrongly to the 
fouthward, impeded her courfe fo much, that it was not 
till the 18th of the month that flie arrived at Botany Bay. 
Governor Phillip no fooner landed, than he had an op¬ 
portunity of converfing with the natives, who were affem- 
bled on-fhore. As it was the intention of this gentleman 
to conciliate if poffible their friendfhip, he ufed every 
method at this firft interview to infpire them with a fa¬ 
vourable idea of the Europeans. For this purpofe he 
prefented them with beads and other trifling ornaments, 
which they feemed pleafed to wear, though Capt. Cook 
found them very indifferent about any kind of finery he 
could furnifli them with. They feemed, according to the 
account of that celebrated navigator, to be fo attached 
to their own ornaments, that they made no account of 
any thing elfe. They received indeed fuch things as were 
given them, but made no offer to return any thing in ex¬ 
change; nor could they be made to comprehend that any 
thing of the kind was wanted. Many of the prefents 
which they had received were found afterwards thrown 
away in the woods. 
Governor Phillip having parted with his new acquaint¬ 
ance in a friendly manner, next began an examination 
of the country about Botany Bay, which had been ftrongly 
recommended by Capt. Cook as the moft eligible place 
for a fettlement. He found, however, that the bayitfelf 
was very inconvenient for fhipping, being expofed to the 
eafterly winds; and fo fhallow, that fhips even of a mode¬ 
rate burden could not get far enough within land to be 
fheltered from the fury of the ocean. Neither did the land 
about any part of this bay appear an eligible fituation for 
a colony ; being in fome places entirely fwampy, in others 
quite deftitute of water. Point Sutherland feemed to 
afford the fituation moft free from objections, but the fhips 
could not approach it; and even here the ground feemed 
to be univerfally damp andfpongy : fo that, on the whole, 
finding no place within the compafs of the bay proper for 
the new fettlement, they were obliged to remove fome- 
where elfe. 
The reft of the fleet arrived in two days after the Supply; 
and, that no time might be loft, Gov. Phillip ordered the 
ground about Point Sutherland to be cleared, and prepa¬ 
rations to be made for landing, while he went with feveral 
officers in three boats to examine Port JacJifon, which was 
only three leagues diftant. Here they had the fatisfattioa 
to find one of the fiheft harbours in the world, where 
1000 fail of the line might ride in perfeCt fafety. On 
examining the different coves, one was preferred which 
had a fine run of fpring-water, and where (hips could 
anchor fo dole to the (hore, that at a very fmall expenfe 
quays might be conftruited for loading and unloading the 
largeft vefiels. This was named by the governor Sydney 
Cow, in honour of lord Sydney; and the country around it 
deftined for the place of fettlement. It is about half a mile 
long, and a quarter of a mile broad at the entrance. On 
the governor’s return to Botany Bay, the reports made 
to him concerning the adjacent country were fo exceed¬ 
ingly unfavourable, that orders were immediately given 
for the removal of the fleet to Port Jackfon. On the 
morning of the 25th, therefore, the governor failed from 
Botany Bay, and was foon followed by the whole fleet. 
The convifts and others deftined to remain in New South. 
Wales being landed, no time was loft in beginning to 
clear ground for an encampment, ftore-houfes, &c. The 
work, however, went on but (lowly, partly owing to the 
natural difficulties they had to encounter, and partly to 
the habitual indolence of the conviCts, which indeed was 
naturally to be expeCted confidering their former way of 
life. Neverthelefs, by the end of the firft week in Febru¬ 
ary, the plan of an encampment wars formed, and places 
were marked out for different purpofes, fo that the colony 
already began to affume fome appearance of order and 
regularity. The materials and frame-work of a flight 
temporary habitation for the governor had been brought 
out from England ready formed, which were landed and 
put together with as much expedition as circumftances 
would allow. Hofpital-tents were alfo ereCled; and the 
ficknefs which foon took place (bowed the propriety of fo 
doing. In the paffage from the Cape there had been but 
little ficknefs, and few of the conviCts had died; but a 
little time after they landed a dyfentery began to prevail, 
which proved fatal in feveral inftances, and the feurvy 
began to rage with great violence, fo that the hofpital- 
tents were foon filled with patients. The diiorder proved 
the more virulent, as freih provilions could but rarely be 
procured ; nor were efculent vegetables often obtained in 
fuch plenty as could produce any material alleviation of 
the complaint: the only remedy for the dyfentery was 
found to be a kind of red gum, produced in plenty by 
the trees growing upon this coaft. The yellow gum has 
the fame properties, though in an inferior degree. 
In the beginning of February, a moft violent ftorm of 
thunder and lightning deftroyed five of the jfheep which 
had a (lied ereCled for them under a tree, which proved a 
prelude to other misfortunes among the cattle. The en¬ 
campment, however, was carried on with great alacrity; 
the foundations of the ftore-houfes were laid, and every 
thing began to wear a promifing appearance. On the 7th 
of the month a regular form of government was eftabli(hed 
in the colony, with all the folemnity which could poflibly 
be given : the governor made a proper fpeech to the con- 
viCfs, reminding them of the fituation in which they flood; 
and that now, if they continued their former practices, it 
was impoffibie they could hope for mercy if detected ; 
neither could they expeCt to efcape detection in fo fmall 
a fociety. Offenders, therefore, he faid, would certainly 
be puniflied with the utmoft rigour; though fuch as be¬ 
haved themfelves in a proper manner might always depend 
upon encouragement. He particularly noticed the illegal 
intercourfe betwixt the fexes, as a practice which encou¬ 
raged profligacy in every refpeCl; for which reafon he 
recommended marriage : and this exhortation feemed not 
to be altogether in vain, as fourteen marriages were cele¬ 
brated that very week in confequence. 
Heavy rains took place during the remainder of this 
month which lhovved the necellity of going on with the 
work 
