Found the vessel to be the Raven of Port Jackson. A.M. Tacked to
work out of bay. At noon moderate breezes and cloudy. Preservation Island
north-north-east 3 miles.
"Sunday, 8th December. P.M. At 4 Waterhouse Island about 10 miles. A.M.
At 6 saw Head of Port Dalrymple south-west about 4 miles. At noon came to
in Western Arm in 2 fathoms with best bower.
Port Dalrymple to Sydney Cove.
"Friday, 13th December. At 5 weighed and towed down Harbour, at 9 came to
in Barren's Pool, at 9 cleared the Harbour, Marcia, schooner, in company.
Stoney Head south-east 4 miles.
"Saturday, 14th December. Twentyday Island south-east by east about 10
miles, at 6 set leeward steering sails - Waterhouse Island
south-south-east 4 miles, at 10 hove too off Preservation Island,* at 4
made sail for Cape Barren. Clark's Island* south-south-west about 10
miles.
"Sunday, 15th December. At noon weighed, and dropped farther down the
Bay.
"Wednesday, 18th December. Light airs and thick, at 7 weighed and made
sail, at 12 Sea Lyon Island* south-south-west about 10 miles. (* Islands
of the Furneaux Group.)
Saturday, 21st December. At 4 heavy sea, at 5 saw strange sail, found the
same to be the Estramina, at 8 lost sight of her.
"Sunday, 22nd December. At sunset saw the land extremes from south-west
to north-west by north distant off shore 7 leagues. A.M. At 8 made all
sail for Port Jackson: at 9 hauled in for the Heads: at half-past 11 came
to in Sydney Cove."
CHAPTER 12.
TIPPAHEE AND HIS FOUR SONS ARE CONVEYED TO NEW ZEALAND IN THE LADY
NELSON.
The following months were months well spent by England's little ship;
months which, like many others, left their mark on the early history of
Australia and New Zealand, when seed was sown in England's name that was
afterwards to bear fruit and extend her power and prosperity.
Empire builders to-day may well envy those whose lot it was to be the
first in that vast southern field.
They were a gallant little band who, in early days, carried the
mother-flag from New South Wales to lands and islands yet more distant,
discovering the shores, planting the first settlements and moulding them
into shape - men who worked with such untiring energy that succeeding
generations found a city, where lately had stood a few miserable huts,
and a flourishing seaport surrounding a once silent cove.
Looking back across one hundred and twenty years of time, we can picture
the empty spaces on the sea-shore, which are now towns, and the
monotonous wildernesses of bushland, which have been replaced by smiling
landscapes; and we can realise the enormous difficulties that had to be
overcome before houses could be built, or the bushland cleared and
cultivated.
One of the first letters (perhaps the very first from a woman's pen to be
handed down to us) written from Sydney, in November 1788, thus describes
the Mother-settlement at the beginning.
