At First I Only Laughed,
But Knowing The Man Who Spoke To Me To Be Of Great Veracity, And Hearing Him
Repeat His Information, I Flew Upon Deck, On Which I Had Barely Set My Foot,
When The Cry Of "Another Sail" Struck On My Astonished Ear.
Confounded by a thousand ideas which arose in my mind in an instant,
I sprang upon the barricado and plainly descried two ships of considerable
size, standing in for the mouth of the Bay.
By this time the alarm had become
general, and every one appeared lost in conjecture. Now they were Dutchmen
sent to dispossess us, and the moment after storeships from England,
with supplies for the settlement. The improbabilities which attended
both these conclusions, were sunk in the agitation of the moment.
It was by Governor Phillip, that this mystery was at length unravelled,
and the cause of the alarm pronounced to be two French ships, which,
it was now recollected, were on a voyage of discovery in the southern
hemisphere. Thus were our doubts cleared up, and our apprehensions banished;
it was, however, judged expedient to postpone our removal to Port Jackson,
until a complete confirmation of our conjectures could be procured.
Had the sea breeze set in, the strange ships would have been at anchor
in the Bay by eight o'clock in the morning, but the wind blowing out,
they were driven by a strong lee current to the southward of the port.
On the following day they re-appeared in their former situation, and a boat
was sent to them, with a lieutenant of the navy in her, to offer assistance,
and point out the necessary marks for entering the harbour. In the course
of the day the officer returned, and brought intelligence that the ships
were the Boussole and Astrolabe, sent out by order of the King of France,
and under the command of Monsieur De Perrouse. The astonishment of the French
at seeing us, had not equalled that we had experienced, for it appeared,
that in the course of their voyage they had touched at Kamschatka,
and by that means learnt that our expedition was in contemplation.
They dropped anchor the next morning, just as we had got under weigh
to work out of the Bay, so that for the present nothing more than salutations
could pass between us.
Before I quit Botany Bay, I shall relate the observations we were enabled
to make during our short stay there; as well as those which our subsequent
visits to it from Port Jackson enabled us to complete.
The Bay is very open, and greatly exposed to the fury of the S.E. winds, which,
when they blow, cause a heavy and dangerous swell. It is of prodigious extent,
the principal arm, which takes a S.W. direction, being not less,
including its windings, than twenty four miles from the capes which form
the entrance, according to the report of the French officers,
who took uncommon pains to survey it. At the distance of a league from
the harbour's mouth is a bar, on which at low water, not more than
fifteen feet are to be found. Within this bar, for many miles up the S.W.
arm, is a haven, equal in every respect to any hitherto known, and in which
any number of ships might anchor, secured from all winds. The country around
far exceeds in richness of soil that about Cape Banks and Point Solander,
though unfortunately they resemble each other in one respect,
a scarcity of fresh water.
We found the natives tolerably numerous as we advanced up the river,
and even at the harbour's mouth we had reason to conclude the country
more populous than Mr. Cook thought it. For on the Supply's arrival in the Bay
on the 18th of the month, they were assembled on the beach of the south shore,
to the number of not less than forty persons, shouting and making many
uncouth signs and gestures. This appearance whetted curiosity to its utmost,
but as prudence forbade a few people to venture wantonly among so great
a number, and a party of only six men was observed on the north shore,
the Governor immediately proceeded to land on that side, in order to take
possession of his new territory, and bring about an intercourse between
its old and new masters. The boat in which his Excellency was, rowed up
the harbour, close to the land, for some distance; the Indians keeping pace
with her on the beach. At last an officer in the boat made signs of a want
of water, which it was judged would indicate his wish of landing.
The natives directly comprehended what he wanted, and pointed to a spot
where water could be procured; on which the boat was immediately pushed in,
and a landing took place. As on the event of this meeting might depend
so much of our future tranquillity, every delicacy on our side was requisite.
The Indians, though timorous, shewed no signs of resentment at the Governor's
going on shore; an interview commenced, in which the conduct of both parties
pleased each other so much, that the strangers returned to their ships
with a much better opinion of the natives than they had landed with;
and the latter seemed highly entertained with their new acquaintance,
from whom they condescended to accept of a looking glass, some beads,
and other toys.
Owing to the lateness of our arrival, it was not my good fortune to go on shore
until three days after this had happened, when I went with a party to the south
side of the harbour, and had scarcely landed five minutes, when we were met by
a dozen Indians, naked as at the moment of their birth, walking along
the beach. Eager to come to a conference, and yet afraid of giving offence,
we advanced with caution towards them, nor would they, at first approach
nearer to us than the distance of some paces.
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