This Information Satisfied Phillip, Who Was Anxious To Lose No Time In
Getting His People Ashore At Sydney Cove.
He, therefore, determined to
sail in the SUPPLY on the 25th, to make preliminary arrangements,
leaving Captain Hunter of the SIRIUS to convoy the Fleet round as soon
as possible.
The wind, just then, was blowing too strong for them to
work out of the Bay.
Meanwhile, Laperouse, with the BOUSSOLE and the ASTROLABE, was meeting
with heavy weather in his attempt to double Point Solander. The
wind blew hard from that quarter, and his ships were too heavy sailers
to force their passage against wind and current combined. The whole of
the 24th was spent in full sight of Botany Bay, which they could not
enter. But their hearts were cheered by the spectacle of the pennants
and ensigns on the eleven British vessels, plainly seen at intervals
within, and the prospect of meeting Europeans again made them impatient
to fetch their anchorage.
The SIRIUS was just about to sail when the French vessels entered the
Bay at nine in the morning of January 26, but Captain Hunter
courteously sent over a lieutenant and midshipman, with his compliments
and offers of such assistance as it was in his power to give. "I
despatched an officer," records Laperouse, "to return my thanks to
Captain Hunter, who by this time had his anchor a-peak and his topsails
hoisted, telling him that my wants were confined to wood and water, of
which we could not fail in this Bay; and I was sensible that vessels
intended to settle a colony at such a distance from Europe could not be
of any assistance to navigators." The English lieutenant, according to
Laperouse, "appeared to make a great mystery of Commodore Phillip's
plan, and we did not take the liberty of putting any questions to him
on the subject." It was not the business of a junior officer to give
unauthorised information, but perhaps his manner made a greater mystery
of the Governor's plans than the circumstances required.
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