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Experiences on the voyage of the First Fleet
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Experiences on the voyage of the First Fleet
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Experiences of men, women and children on the First Fleet voyage
Overview - London Chronicle
Expedition to Botany-Bay ~ The London Chronicle, March 1789
Source: Primary
Link: Expedition to Botany Bay, 'London Chronicle' 24-26 March 1789 | The Dictionary of Sydney
The two ships of war, named the Sirius and Supply, with the transports, under the command of Commodore Phillips, have made good their voyage to Botany Bay: Of this important arrival intelligence has been brought by the Prince of Wales, Moore, one of the transports which carried out the convicts. The Prince of Wales buried only one convict. The dispatches for Government are not yet arrived, as the Borrowdale transport, by which Commodore Phillips sent them, as well as a third transport in company, have not reached England.
On the arrival of this squadron at Botany Bay, the destined spot was found not to have water sufficient for the supply of the new settlement: A council was in consequence held, and the ships weighing anchor stood away for Jackson's Bay, where Nature's gifts appeared equal to all their wishes: The verdure strong and rich, and the springs of the best water: The face of the country too possessing great variety, and well clothed with wood.
The moment Commodore Phillips had made good the landing of the Marines, and some lines of limitation were marked out, the convicts were put on shore; and the artizans among them, with those belonging to the ships, proceeded to cut down wood to form their habitations. This task continued for some time during the hours of day, and in the evening the workmen and others returned on board the shipping, leaving only the Marines, and a detachment of the seamen, to guard the works as they advanced towards completion.
The natives, when they discovered the preparations on foot, and that their visitors were likely to become stationary, appeared so dissatisfied, that several pieces of ordnance were mounted on the lines to awe them; they however kept at a distance, and though they did not provoke a fire, they declined all communion.
Of the convicts and others, from the departure of the squadron from Portsmouth, to the time the ship which brings the advice left Jackson's Bay, only 40 appear to have died; and to compensate for this loss, 42 infants were born.
Three of the convicts were induced to try their fortunes among the natives, where they hoped to have a favourable reception: two of these were in this expedition killed and eaten; and the third, after subsisting on roots for some time in the woods, returned, almost perished through hunger. This operated to deter further adventures of a like nature.
The cattle fared very unpropitiously; some of the cows died during their passage; and others, after their landing, strayed so far into the woods as to be irrecoverably lost. The sheep did not thrive; the herbage did not afford the nutriment of their native pasture, and no flock, it is feared, will ever be reared from them. The pigs were in a state of better prosperity; and most of the poultry promise to be beneficial.
When the Prince of Wales transport quitted Jackson's Bay, which was on the 15th of July last, a very fine crop of grain was presented to the eye. This occupied 12 acres of ground, all that could possibly be cultivated before the season was too far gone for a crop of greater extent.
The fish immediately on the Coast are found to be very indifferent. The natives live chiefly on testaceous fish, and the small quadruped which Cooke describes; the hind legs of which are much longer than the fore ones. The skins of several of these animals have been stuffed and brought to England. An attempt was made to bring some of them alive, but failed.
The Prince of Wales is said to have continued her course through the South Sea after she left New Holland, and passed through the Streights of Magellan. She parted company with the Borrowdale on the 15th of August last, but fell in with her at Rio Janeiro; they sailed from that place together, but lost company again on the 24th of December last. Capt. Mason, the Master of the Prince of Wales, died on his passage home, and Mr. Moore, the Mate, succeeded to the command. Four of her seamen also died.
Capt. Phillips, the Governor of the settlement, and Major Ross, the Deputy Governor, together with Capt. Hunter, Lieut. Ball of the Supply tender, and Lieut. Long of the marines, were all well when the transport above-named sailed for England.
