May 1788 to June 1788
The Supply returns from Lord Howe Island--Some convicts assaulted by the
natives--excursion of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay by Land--interview
with many natives--the fourth of June celebrated--some account of the
climate.
25 May 1788
On the 25th of May, the Supply tender returned from Lord Howe Island, but
unfortunately without having been able to procure any turtle. She had met
with squally weather, and had been obliged to cut away her best bower
anchor, but suffered no other damage. The three transports bound for
China had all appeared off the island while the Supply remained there.
About this time one of the convicts who, in searching for vegetables, had
gone a considerable way from the camp, returned very dangerously wounded
in the back. He said, that another man who had gone out for the same
purpose, had been carried off by the natives in his sight, after having
been wounded in the head. A shirt and hat were afterwards found, both
pierced with spears, in one of the huts of the natives; but no
intelligence of the man could be gained. There could be little doubt that
the convicts had been the aggressors, though the man who returned
strongly denied having given any kind of provocation.
30 May 1788
On the thirtieth of May, two men who had been employed in collecting
rushes for thatch at some distance from the camp, were found dead. One of
them had four spears in his body, one of which had pierced entirely
through it: the other had not any marks of violence upon him. In this
case it was clearly proved that the first injury had been offered by the
unfortunate men, who paid so dearly for their dishonesty and disobedience
of orders; for they had been seen with a canoe, which they had taken from
one of the fishing places. These events were much regretted by Governor
Phillip, as tending entirely to the frustration of the plan he had so
much at heart, of conciliating the affections of the natives, and
establishing a friendly intercourse with them.
As the rush-cutters tools had been carried away, the Governor thought it
might be possible to discover the natives who had been concerned in this
unfortunate affray; and to make them understand that the conduct of their
assailants had been entirely unwarranted, and was very highly
disapproved. He judged the attempt to be at least worth making, as it
seemed the only way to restore that confidence which must have been
interrupted by this affair. The next day, therefore, he went out with a
small party, consisting altogether of twelve persons, and landed at the
place where the men were killed. After traversing the country for more
than twenty miles, they arrived at the north shore of Botany Bay, without
having met with one of the natives.
In this place, at length, they saw about twenty canoes employed in
fishing: and when the fires were made, and the party encamped to pass the
night upon the beach, it was fully expected that some of those in the
canoes would have joined them, but not one appeared. The next morning,
though fifty canoes were drawn up on the beach, not a single person could
be found belonging to them. Governor Phillip had now determined to return
to Port Jackson; but as he went, keeping for some time near the sea
coast, he discovered a great number of the natives, apparently more than
could belong to that district, assembled at the mouth of a cave. The
party was within ten yards of them before they were perceived, and the
Governor had hardly time to make his people halt before numbers appeared
in arms. The man who seemed to take the lead, as he advanced made signs
for the English to retire, but when he saw Governor Phillip approach
alone, unarmed, and in a friendly manner, he gave his spear away and met
him with perfect confidence. In less than three minutes the English party
found itself surrounded by two hundred and twelve men; but nothing
occurred in this transaction which could in the least confirm the idea,
that the natives were accustomed to act with treachery, or inclined to
take any cruel advantage of superiority in numbers. The moment the
offered friendship was accepted on their side, they laid down their
spears and stone hatchets, and joined the party in the most amicable
manner. Numbers of women and children remained at a small distance, some
of whom the men afterwards brought down to receive the little articles
which were offered as presents. Nothing was seen among these people which
could at all prove that any of them had been engaged in the affray with
the rush-cutters; and the Governor parted with them on the most friendly
terms, but more convinced than ever of the necessity of treating them
with a proper degree of confidence, in order to prevent disagreement. Had
he gone up with all his party, or had he even hesitated a moment before
he advanced himself, making the signals of friendship, a lance would
probably have been thrown, after which nothing could have prevented a
rencounter, which in such circumstances must have been fatal.
Here was seen the finest stream of water that had hitherto been
discovered in the country, but the cove into which it runs lies very open
to the sea. When the natives saw that the English were going forward
towards the next cove, one of them, an old man, made signs that he might
be allowed to go first. He did so, and as soon as he had ascended the
hill, called out, holding up both his hands, (the usual signal of amity
among these people) to signify to the natives in the next cove that they
who were advancing were friends. The Governor's party did not, however,
descend to that cove, but saw about forty men, so that, unless they had
assembled themselves on some particular occasion, they must be more
numerous in that part than had been before imagined. Governor Phillip had
calculated before, from the parties he had seen, that in Botany Bay, Port
Jackson, Broken Bay, and all the intermediate country, the inhabitants
could not exceed one thousand five hundred. In crossing the hills at this
time between Botany Bay and Port Jackson, smoke was seen on the top of
Lansdown Hills, which seems to prove beyond a doubt, that the country is
inhabited as far as those mountains, which are not less than fifty miles
from the sea.
Further enquiries having given some reason to suppose, that one of the
natives had been murdered, and several wounded, previously to the attack
made upon the rush-cutters, Governor Phillip on his return, proclaimed
the reward of emancipation to any convict who should discover the
aggressors. This step, if it did not in this instance procure any
information, seemed likely to prevent such acts of violence in future.
No very good fortune had hitherto attended the live stock belonging to
the settlement, but the heaviest blow was yet to come. About this time
the two bulls and four cows, belonging to Government, and to the
Governor, having been left for a time by the man who was appointed to
attend them, strayed into the woods, and though they were traced to some
distance, never could be recovered. This was a loss which must be for
some time irreparable.
4 June 1788
The fourth of June was not suffered to pass without due celebration. It
was a day of remission from labour, and of general festivity throughout
the settlement. At sun-rise the Sirius and Supply fired each a salute of
twenty-one guns, and again at one o'clock, when the marines on shore also
saluted with three vollies. At sunset the same honours were a third time
repeated from the ships; large bonfires were lighted, and the whole camp
afforded a scene of joy. That there might not be any exception to the
happiness of this day, the four convicts who had been reprieved from
death, and banished to an island in the middle of the harbour, received a
full pardon, and were sent for to bear their part in the general
exultation. The Governor, in his letters, with that humanity which so
strongly distinguishes his character, says, he trusts that on this day
there was not a single heavy heart in this part of his Majesty's
dominions. His own house was the centre of conviviality to all who could
be admitted to that society, nor was any thing neglected which in such a
situation could mark a day of celebrity, consistently with propriety and
good order. Perhaps no birth-day was ever celebrated in more places, or
more remote from each other, than that of his Majesty on this day.
It was now, it seems, first generally known, that the name of Cumberland
County had been given by the Governor to this part of the territory. This
name had been fixed before the assembling of the first courts, for the
sake of preserving regularity in the form of the public acts, in which it
is usual to name the county. The boundaries fixed for Cumberland County
were, on the west, Carmarthen and Lansdown Hills: on the north, the
northern parts of Broken Bay; and to the southward, the southern parts of
Botany Bay. Thus including completely these three principal bays, and
leaving the chief place of settlement at Sydney Cove nearly in the
centre.
On the 22d of June was a slight shock of an earthquake, which did not
last more than two or three seconds. It was felt by most people in the
camp, and by the Governor himself, who heard at the same time a noise
from the southward, which he took at first for the report of guns fired
at a great distance.
24 June 1788
On the 24th, a convict who had absconded on the 5th, having been guilty
of a robbery, returned into the camp almost starved. He had hoped to
subsist in the woods, but found it impossible. One of the natives gave
him a fish, and then made signs for him to go away. He said, that
afterwards he joined a party of the natives, who would have burnt him,
but that with some difficulty he made his escape; and he pretended to
have seen the remains of a human body actually lying on a fire, but
little credit can be given to reports from such a quarter. He was of
opinion that the natives were at this time in great distress for food,
and said, that he had seen four of them dying in the woods, who made
signs for something to eat, as if they were perishing through hunger. It
is certain that very little fish could be caught at this time, and the
convict seemed desirous to suggest the notion that they supplied their
necessities occasionally with human flesh; but there seems to be no good
foundation for such an opinion. This man was tried for his offence,
pleaded guilty, and suffered with another criminal.
It was now sufficiently ascertained, that though the necessity of
subsisting so long chiefly upon salt provisions, and of remaining
encamped in very wet weather had produced the scurvy, and other disorders
common in such circumstances, the climate itself wherein this new
settlement is fixed is mild and salubrious. Heavy rains had generally
attended the changes of the moon during the winter months, but there had
not been any time that could properly be called a rainy season. The
clearing away of the woods will of course assist the circulation of air,
and continually increase the healthfulness of the place. Violent storms
of thunder and lightning sometimes happened, and Governor Phillip
observed the variation of his thermometer, in the shade, to amount
frequently to thirty-three degrees, between eight in the morning and two
in the afternoon. The report of the surgeon at this time is subjoined.
A RETURN OF SICK, ETC. JUNE 30, 1788.
Marines sick in the hospital 4
Convalescents in the hospital 2
Marines sick in camp 18
Convalescents in the hospital 6
Wives and children of marines sick in the hospital 6
Total belonging to the battalion under medical treatment 36
Of marines dead from the time of embarkation to landing 1
Women dead from the time of embarkation to landing 1
Children dead from the time of embarkation to landing 1
Marines dead since landing 3
Women dead since landing 0
Children dead since landing 2
Total dead from the time of embarkation to the present date 8
Convicts sick in the hospital 20
Convalescents in the hospital 4
Convicts sick in camp 26
Convalescents in the hospital 16
Total of convicts under medical treatment 66
Male convicts dead from the time of embarkation to landing 36
Female convicts dead from the time of embarkation to landing 4
Convicts children dead from the time of embarkation to landing 5
Total 45
Male convicts dead since landing 20
Female convicts dead since landing 8
Convicts children dead since landing 8
Total dead, from the time of embarkation to the present date 81
Convicts unfit for labour, from old age, infirmities, etc. 52
JOHN WHITE, Surgeon.
Sydney Cove, Port Jackson.