September 1787 to January 1788
Anchor in Table-Bay.--Refreshments procured there.--Depart from the
Cape of Good Hope.--Captain Phillip quits the Sirius, and proceeds
on the voyage in the Supply.--The Sirius arrives in Botany-Bay.--Finds
the Supply at anchor there.--Arrival of the Bussole and Astrolabe.--
Leave Botany-Bay, and anchor in Port Jackson.--The Table of Winds,
Weather, etc.
We had light and variable winds for the two first days after
leaving Rio de Janeiro, then it veered round to the north-east,
and freshened up, and was some times as far to the northward as
north by east; we steered off east-south-east and south-east. In
latitude 25° 50' south, the weather became dark and cloudy,
with much rain and lightning all round the horizon, which shifted
the wind to the southward, and the weather cleared up. On the
19th, we saw several Pentada birds. On the 29th, having had thick
hazy weather during the night, some of the convoy had been
inattentive to the course, and were found at day-light
considerably scattered and to leeward; we bore down and made the
signal for closing. Nothing worth relating happened this passage.
On the 12th of October, as we were expecting every hour to make
the land, the weather being hazy, with a strong westerly wind, at
midnight we made the signal and brought to; at day-light we bore
away and made sail, and at six o'clock saw the land, distant 10
leagues; at noon, the entrance of Table-Bay, at the Cape of Good
Hope, bore east three leagues. At the distance of seven or eight
leagues from the land, the Supply armed tender being ordered to
wait for the sternmost of the convoy, Lieutenant Ball took that
opportunity of sounding, and at the before-mentioned distance had
115 fathoms, over a black sandy bottom; and at five leagues
distance he had 90 fathoms, sand with small stones. The water
appeared, at a much greater distance, considerably discoloured,
from which I think there is reason to suppose that the soundings
from this part of the coast run farther off to the westward. We
were all this time in the parallel of 34° south. On the 14th
of October, at five in the evening, we anchored with all the
convoy in Table-Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and at sun-rise the next
morning we saluted the fort with 13 guns, which was answered by
the same number.
By altitudes taken this morning for the time-keeper, it
appeared that we had not had sufficient time at Rio Janeiro for
ascertaining the true rate of the watch's going, having
determined what we have allowed this passage, viz. 2"-33 from a
very few observations, and those not to be relied on, the weather
having been very unfavourable; for, by the difference of time
between the meridian of Rio Janeiro and the cape, both which
places are well determined, the watch has lost at the rate of
3"-17, which we shall hereafter allow to be the true rate; and as
a proof of that having been really its rate all along, by
allowing it from the time of our leaving Portsmouth, until our
arrival at Rio Janeiro, we shall have the longitude of that place
43° 33' 30" west of the meridian of Greenwich, which is 45'
45" to the westward of that laid down in the new Requisite
Tables, and which agrees very nearly with the observations made
on the spot.
As Table-Bay was the last port at which we could touch for
refreshments during our voyage, such articles as we were in want
of, both for present consumption, and for stocking the intended
settlement, were applied for, in such quantities as we could find
room for on board the different ships. Eight or ten days elapsed
before any answer could be obtained from the council, what
necessaries and in what quantities they could supply us with:
this delay occasioned our passing more time here than was at
first intended or expected.
A few days before we sailed, having compleated such articles
of provisions as we wanted, we embarked on board the Sirius six
cows with calf, two bulls, one of which was six or seven months
old, with a number of sheep, goats, hogs, and poultry of
different kinds; on board one of the transports were put three
mares, each having a colt of six months old, and a young
stallion; a quantity of live stock was also put on board the
store ships; so that the whole on government account, I think,
amounted nearly to one stallion, three mares, three colts, six
cows, two bulls, forty-four sheep, four goats, and twenty-eight
hogs. The officers on board the transports, who were to compose
the garrison, had each provided themselves with such live stock
as they could find room for, not merely for the purpose of living
upon during the passage, but with a view of stocking their little
farms in the country to which we were going; every person in the
fleet was with that view determined to live wholly on salt
provisions, in order that as much live stock as possible might be
landed on our arrival.
November 12th, having completed all our business at the Cape,
we made preparations for our sailing; and on the 13th, we weighed
with the whole convoy, and stood out of the bay.
During the time we lay in this bay, I took a considerable
number of lunar observations, by a mean of which I make Cape
Town, in longitude 18° 24' 30" east of the meridian of
Greenwich: latitude observed in the bay, 33° 55' south, and
variation of the compass, observed about 18 leagues to the
westward, 21° 52' west.
We had fresh gales from the south-south-east and south-east,
and sometimes at south, for the first eight days, which, with a
large sea, so very much distressed our cattle, that we were very
apprehensive we should lose some of them. On the 25th, being in
latitude 38° 40' south, and longitude 25° 05' east,
Captain Phillip embarked on board the Supply, in order to proceed
singly in that vessel to the coast of New South Wales, where he
made sure of arriving a fortnight or three weeks before us, as
some of the convoy sailed very heavy; he took with him from the
Sirius, Mr. Philip Gidley King, second lieutenant, and Lieutenant
Dawes, of the marines, who had hitherto kept an account of the
time-keeper, which he also took with him; several carpenters,
sawyers, and blacksmiths were likewise put on board the Supply,
in order, if they arrived in sufficient time, to examine the
place attentively; and the governor had fixed on the most
eligible spot to build upon, there to erect some temporary
store-houses for the reception of the stores, when the convoy
arrived; but as a number of working people would be wanted in
carrying on such service, three of the best sailing transports,
under the command of Lieutenant Shortland, the agent, were also
directed to quit the convoy, and make the best of their way to
Botany-Bay; Major Ross, the lieutenant-governor, embarked in one
of those transports; the remaining transports and store-ships
were left under the care of the Sirius.
The next day, after parting company, the Supply was in sight
from the mast-head, and the three transports were about seven or
eight miles from us, but the wind having shifted to the
south-east in the night of the 27th, we stood to the southward
and saw no more of them. I was at this time of opinion, that we
had hitherto kept in too northerly a parallel to ensure strong
and lasting westerly winds, which determined me, as soon as
Captain Phillip had left the fleet, to steer to the southward and
keep in a higher latitude.
We had the winds from the north-east with squalls and hazy
weather, until the 29th, when it backed round to the westward
again, and the weather became fair. After the time-keeper was
taken from the Sirius, I kept an account of the ship's way by my
own watch, which I had found for a considerable time, to go very
well with Kendal's; I knew it could be depended on sufficiently
to carry on from one lunar observation to another, without any
material error; for although its rate of going was not so regular
as I could have wished, yet its variation would not in a week or
ten days have amounted to any thing of consequence; it was made
for me by Mr. John Brockbank, of Cornhill, London, upon an
improved principle of his own. The lunar observation, which I
never failed to take every opportunity, and which Lieutenant
Bradley also paid constant attention to, gave me reason to think,
by their near agreement with the watch, that it continued to go
well. On the 1st of December our longitude, by account, was
36° 42' east; by the watch 36° 48' east; and by distance
of sun and moon 36° 24' east: latitude 40° 05' south, and
the variation of the compass 29° 40' west.
For three successive days both Mr. Bradley and myself had a
variety of distances, by which our account seemed to be very
correct. I now determined (if I could avoid it) never to get to
the northward of latitude 40° 00' south, and to keep between
that parallel and 43° or 44° south. After the 3d, I
found, by altitudes taken for the watch, that we went farther to
the eastward than the log gave us, and no opportunity offered for
getting a lunar observation to compare with it until the 13th,
when both Mr. Bradley and I got several good distances of the sun
and moon, by which our longitude was 70° 22' east, by the
watch 70° 07' east, and by account 67° 37' east.
On the 14th, the weather being very clear, we had another set
of distances, which gave our longitude 73° 06' east, by the
watch 73° 09' east, and by account 70° 34' east. Again,
on the 15th, I observed with two different instruments, one by
Ramsden, and the other by Dolland, and the results agreed within
ten miles of longitude; the mean was 75° 18' east, by the
watch 75° 16' east, and by account 72° 49' east. Mr.
Bradley's mean was also 75° 18' east; so that, as I have
already observed, the ship seemed gaining on the account; but
there was no reason to believe, that in the middle of this very
extensive ocean we were ever subject to much current: I therefore
attribute this set to the eastward, to the large following sea,
which constantly attended us, since we had taken a more southerly
parallel. The variation of the compass continued to increase
pretty fast, until we were as far to the eastward as 39° 00'
east, where we found it 31° 00' west; from that longitude to
54° 30' east, it increased very slowly to 32° 00' west,
which was the highest we had; during all that time we were in the
parallels of 40° 00' and 41° 00' south.
We saw many whales, of a very large size, during this part of
our passage, but very few birds. On the 16th, we saw a quantity
of sea weed, which I suppose might have come from the island of
Saint Paul, as we were now near its meridian, and not more than
60 leagues from it. We had at present every prospect of an
excellent passage to Van Diemen's Land: for although the wind
sometimes shifted to the north-east, it seldom continued more
than a few hours; then backed round again to north-west and
south-west, between which quarters it seemed to blow as a trade
wind; from north-north-east to the westward, and round to
south-south-west are in general its limits: we had frequently
hazy weather, but not so thick as to be called foggy; the wind in
general very fresh.
Whenever there was an appearance of hazy weather coming on,
the signal to close was always made, and the convoy kept in as
close order as possible, to prevent those ships which sailed
heavy from the risk of being separated from the Sirius. On the
20th, the wind increased and was steady between west-north-west
and south-west; we seldom sailed less than 50 leagues in the 24
hours, and frequently more. With the north-west winds we
generally had foul weather, but whenever the wind changed to the
south-west quarter, it cleared up and became pleasant. It seems
to be exactly the reverse of the effects produced by those winds
in the northern hemisphere, where it is well known to seamen,
that southerly and south-west winds are generally attended with
hazy and foul weather, often accompanied with strong gales; it
was exactly so here with the wind from the north-west. We knew by
experience, when in the open ocean at a distance from land, in
either hemisphere, that the winds which blow from those quarters
of the compass next to the elevated pole, are generally dry and
clear, and from the opposite, generally wet and hazy.
On the 1st of January we had a very heavy gale of wind from
north-north-west to west-north-west, attended with frequent and
very violent squalls or gusts, and hazy weather; the convoy in
general were brought under a reefed fore top-sail, and the Sirius
carried her three storm stay-sails; so that the transports should
not find it necessary to attempt carrying more sail than was
consistent with safety: the sea was very high and irregular, and
broke with great violence on some of the ships; the rolling and
labouring of our ship exceedingly distressed the cattle, which
were now in a very weakly state, and the great quantities of
water which we shipped during this gale, very much aggravated
their distress; the poor animals were frequently thrown with much
violence off their legs, and exceedingly bruised by their falls,
although every method, which could be contrived for their ease
and comfort, was practised; the ship was very ill fitted for such
a cargo; and the very lumbered condition she had constantly been
in rendered it impossible to do more for them, except by putting
slings under them; a method which, when proposed, was rejected by
those to whose care and management they were intrusted; from an
idea, that they would entirely lose the use of their legs by such
means, although it were only practised in bad weather.
We perceived the sea now covered over with luminous spots,
much resembling so many lanthorns floating on its surface;
whether this appearance proceeded from the spawn of fish, which
may swim in small collected quantities, or from that animal of a
jelly-like substance, which is known to sailors by the name of
blubber, I cannot tell, but I believe the latter, as we had seen
in the day some of a large size. We had now also many sea-birds
about the ship, such as albatrosses, gulls of different kinds,
and a large black bird, which, in the motion of its wings, had
much the appearance of a crow, but its neck and wings are longer
than those of that bird, and it is altogether larger.
On the 4th of January we had a number of good observations for
the longitude, and as it was probable they might be the last we
should have an opportunity of taking, before we should make Van
Diemen's Land, the result, which gave 135° 30' east, was
marked with chalk in large characters on a black painted board,
and shown over the stern to the convoy; at the same time a signal
was made which had been previously appointed.
On the 6th in the evening, as I intended running in for the
land all night, I made the signal for the convoy to close, and to
drop into the Sirius's wake, under an easy sail; the night was
dark, but clear in the horizon, so that we could see near two
leagues a-head. This night the aurora austreales were very
bright, of a beautiful crimson colour, streaked with orange,
yellow, and white, and these colours were constantly changing
their places: the highest part was about 45° above the
horizon, and it spread from south by east to south-south-west. On
the next morning at sun-rise, one of the transports having pushed
a little a-head, made the signal for seeing the land, in which,
however, she was mistaken: we at this time judged ourselves not
less than 33 or 34 leagues from it, deducing our distance from
the last lunar observation.
It may not be improper, before I proceed farther, to observe
of the compass, that its westerly variation decreased from the
longitude of 54° 30' east, where it was greatest, (viz.
32° 10' west,) to longitude 135° 30' east, where it was
1° 00' east.
We continued steering in for the land, and the weather being
cloudy, in order to make sure of our latitude, which, in our
present situation, was of consequence, we took two altitudes
before noon, by which we were in 44° 05' south, which being
seventeen miles to the southward of the rock, called the
Mewstone, we hauled from east-north-east to north-east, and at
three P.M. of the 8th, (by log,) we made the land in that
direction, stood well in with the Mewstone, and, as the wind was
fresh from the westward, I would have gone within it, and ranged
along the coast from point to point; but having a convoy of
transports and store-ships astern, who were to be led by the
Sirius, I was apprehensive, in case it fell little wind under the
land, and night set in, an accident might have happened to some
of those ships, which all the knowledge I could have gained, by a
nearer examination of the coast, would not have compensated: I
therefore stood on without the Mewstone, and steered in for the
south cape, which we passed at three miles distance, leaving the
rocks Swilly and Eddistone without us. The south cape terminates
in a low rocky point, and appears to be a bold shore, and the
hills within it, which are moderately high, appear to have many
tall trees upon them, which are very streight, and seem to have
no branches, except near the top; from which circumstance, I
suppose them to be the palm or cabbage tree.
To the eastward of the south cape, between that and the next
point of land, which is called Tasman's-head, is a large bay, at
the bottom of which there appears to be an island or two; from
the south-west cape to the south cape there are several bays, and
pretty deep bights, which may probably afford some good harbours;
there are also several appearances of islands on this part of the
coast, but most of them seem to lie pretty near the land, except
the Mewstone, (a high ragged rock) which is about ten miles off,
and Swilly and Eddystone, which lie about south by east from the
south cape, about five leagues distant. Swilly is a high rock,
and the Eddistone has, at a distance, the appearance of a sail;
these two rocks are at the opposite ends of a ledge of sunken
rocks, on which the sea seemed to break very high: this ledge
lies east-north-east and west-south-west; the two rocks are in
one with that bearing.
The latitudes and longitudes of the different points or capes,
seem to have been very correctly determined by Captains Cook and
Furneaux, when they were here; it would therefore be superfluous
to mention them here from any other authority; they have settled
them as under:
South-west cape lat 43 37 00 S. long 146 07 00 E. of Greenwich
South cape lat 43 42 00 long 146 56 00
Tasman's-head lat 43 33 00 long 147 28 00
Swilly Island, or rock lat 43 55 00 long 147 06 00
Adventure bay lat 42 21 20 long 147 29 00
Such observations as we had an opportunity of making near this
coast, agree very well with the above.
We had just got to the eastward of the south cape as it became
dark, and were about four miles from it when it fell calm, and
soon after a very light air sprung up from east-north-east,
which, with a large westerly swell, scarcely gave the ships
steerage way: this situation gave me some anxiety, as I was
uncertain whether the sternmost ships had seen Swilly, and they
were at this time a little scattered; the breeze, however,
favoured us, by freshening up at north-east, which enabled the
whole of us to weather those rocks, without the apprehension of
passing too near them in the dark: in the morning at day-light
they bore west-south-west three leagues.
Here we saw many animals playing along-side, which were at
first taken for seals; but, after having seen a considerable
number of them, I did not think they were the seal, at least they
appeared to me a very different animal from the seals to be met
with on the coast of America and Newfoundland; for they have a
short round head, but these creatures heads were long, and
tapered to the nose; they had very long whiskers, and frequently
raised themselves half the length of the body out of the water,
to look round them, and often leaped entirely out; which I do not
ever recollect to have seen the seal do: from these
circumstances, I judged them to be something of the
sea-otter.
On the night of the 8th, it blew so strong from
north-north-east and north, as to bring us under close reefed
main top-sail and fore-sail; this gale was accompanied with
thunder, lightning, and rain, which soon changed it to the
south-west quarter, and immediately cleared the weather. On the
10th, we had two very violent white squalls from north-west, with
lightning, thunder, and rain: these squalls came on so very
suddenly, that some of the convoy were taken with too much sail
out, which obliged them to let go their tacks and sheets, by
which means one ship carried away her main-yard in the slings,
another had her three top-sails blown from the yards, and a third
lost her jibb, and some other trifling accident: this occasioned
a short delay, but as soon as these accidents were repaired we
made sail, and availed ourselves of every slant of wind, to get
in with the coast. I was desirous of falling in with it about
Cape Howe, which is in latitude 37° 30' south, and longitude
150° 00' east, and from thence to have run down along the
coast to Botany-bay; but the wind prevailed so long from the
north-ward and north-west, that we could not fetch that part of
the coast.
On the 15th, by a good lunar observation, I found our
longitude to be 152° 43' east, which was twenty-five leagues
farther from the coast than I expected we were. Every endeavour
was exerted to get to the westward, and on the 19th in the
evening, judging from the last observation, (the dead reckoning
being out,) that we could not be above eight or nine leagues from
the land, the wind being from the eastward, I made the signal and
brought to with the convoy till day-light, when we made the land
in latitude 34° 50' south, six or seven leagues distant. We
steered in slanting to the northward, until we were within about
six or seven miles of the shore, and then steered along the coast
at that distance, not choosing, as the wind was easterly, to
carry the convoy nearer.
At noon, we were abreast of Red-point, which is well
determined by Captain Cook: I observed its latitude to be 34°
29' south; this point being only ten leagues from Botany-bay, I
made sail a-head of the convoy, in order if possible, to get
sight of its entrance before night. There are a number of
projecting points hereabout, which by being so near in shore
deceived us a good deal; however, we perceived from the masthead
before dark, what I had no doubt was the entrance of the bay, as
we were now near its latitude; which is certainly the only true
guide whereby you can find it; for the coast has nothing so
remarkable in it as to serve for a direction for finding this
harbour.
About three leagues to the southward of Botany-bay, there is a
range of whitish coloured cliffs on the coasts, which extend some
distance farther south, and over these cliffs the land is
moderately high and level; on this level land there is a small
clump of trees, something like that on Post down hill, near
Portsmouth: these, I think, are the only remarkable objects
here.
As soon as we had brought the entrance of the bay to bear
north-north-west, we brought to, and made the signal for the
convoy to pass in succession under the Sirius's stern, when they
were informed, that I intended, as the wind was easterly, to keep
working off under an easy sail till day-light, and that the
entrance of the harbour bore north-north-west seven or eight
miles; which I supposed they could not have been near enough to
have seen before dark.
The next morning being fair, with a south-east wind, we made
sail at day-light for this opening, and, by signal, ordered the
ships into the Sirius's wake. When the bay was quite open, we
discovered the Supply and the three transports at an anchor; the
former had arrived the 18th, and the three latter the 19th. At
eight A. M. of the 20th, we anchored with the whole of the convoy
in Botany-bay, in eight fathoms water.
As the ships were sailing in, a number of the natives
assembled on the south shore, and, by their motions, seemed to
threaten; they pointed their spears, and often repeated the
words, wara, wara. The Supply had not gained more than forty
hours of us, and the three transports twenty. We probably met
with fresher winds than they had done, otherwise I think these
ships, all sailing well, should have had much more advantage of
the heavy sailing part of the convoy.
On the first day of my arrival, I went with the governor to
examine the south shore, in order to fix on a spot for erecting
some buildings; but we found very little fresh water, and not any
spot very inviting for our purpose: we had a short conversation
with a party of the natives, who were exceedingly shy. During the
time we lay here, we sounded the bay all over, and found a
considerable extent of anchorage in four, five, six, and seven
fathoms water, but wholly exposed to easterly winds, and no
possibility of finding shelter from those winds in any part of
the anchorage.
We anchored on the north shore, off a sandy bay, which I think
as good a birth as any in the bay; Cape Banks bore
east-south-east, and Point Solander south-south-east, the ground
clear and good. The wind, either from the north-east or
south-east quarters, set in a prodigious sea. Higher up the bay
there is a spot of four fathoms, where a few ships might be laid
in tolerable security, but they must be lightened, to enable them
to pass over a flat of twelve feet, and that depth but of narrow
limits.
The day after my arrival, the governor, accompanied by me and
two other officers, embarked in three boats, and proceeded along
the coast to the northward, intending, if we could, to reach what
Captain Cook has called Broken-bay, with a hope of discovering a
better harbour, as well as a better country; for we found nothing
at Botany-bay to recommend it as a place on which to form an
infant settlement. In this examination, a large opening, or bay,
about three leagues and a half to the northward of Cape Banks,
was the first place we looked into: it had rather an unpromising
appearance, on entering between the outer heads or capes that
form its entrance, which are high, rugged, and perpendicular
cliffs; but we had not gone far in, before we discovered a large
branch extending to the southward; into this we went, and soon
found ourselves perfectly land-locked, with a good depth of
water.
We proceeded up for two days, examining every cove or other
place which we found capable of receiving ships; the country was
also particularly noticed, and found greatly superior in every
respect to that round Botany-bay. The governor, being satisfied
with the eligibility of this situation, determined to fix his
residence here, and returned immediately to the ships.
On the 25th, we received the time-keeper from the Supply,
which I am sorry to say, had been let down while on board her,
during the passage from the Cape of Good Hope; and the same day,
the governor sailed in the Supply, with a detachment of marines,
to the new harbour, which Captain Cook had observed as he sailed
along the coast, and named Port Jackson; he did not enter it, and
therefore was uncertain of there being a safe harbour here: it
has the appearance from sea of being only an open bay.
The convoy was again left to my care, the masters of the ships
having had previous orders from Captain Phillip to prepare for
sea. On the 26th, I made the signal for the transports to get
under way. We perceived this morning two large ships in the
offing, standing in for the bay, under French colours: these
ships had been observed two days before, but the wind blowing
fresh from north-west, they were not able to get in with the
land. I sent a boat with an officer to assist them in, and about
an hour after, a breeze sprung up from the south-east, and they
were safely anchored in the bay. I then got under way, and with
the transports worked out of the bay, and the same evening
anchored the whole convoy in Port Jackson.
The two strangers proved to be the Bussole and Astrolabe,
which sailed from Brest in June, 1785, upon discoveries, and were
commanded by Mons. de la Perouse; Mons. de L'Angle, who commanded
one of the ships when they left France, had been lately, when the
ships were at the Islands of Navigators, murdered, with several
other officers and seamen, by the natives; who had, before that
unfortunate day, always appeared to be upon the most friendly and
familiar terms with them. This accident, we understood, happened
when their launches were on shore filling water, on the last day
which they intended remaining at those islands: during the time
they were employed in filling their water-casks, having the most
perfect confidence in the friendly disposition of the natives,
the sailors had been inattentive to the keeping the boats afloat;
some misunderstanding having happened between some of the seamen
and the natives, an insult had been offered by one or other,
which was resented by the opposite party; a quarrel ensued, and
the impossibility of moving the boats, exposed the officers and
crews to the rage of the multitude, who attacked them with clubs
and showers of stones, and would inevitably have massacred the
whole, if there had not been a small boat at hand, which picked
up those, who depending on their swimming, had quitted the
shore.
Many of the natives were killed upon this occasion; and the
loss of the ships was said to have been fourteen persons killed,
including Captain de L'Angle, and some other officers; several
were much wounded; and the boats were entirely destroyed.
This account of the accident is by no means to be considered
as a correct statement of it; as it is only collected from little
hints dropt in the course of conversation with different officers
of those ships: they did not appear disposed to speak upon that
subject, we therefore did not presume to interrogate. The voyage
of those ships will no doubt be published by authority; till then
we must wait for the particulars of that, and another unfortunate
accident which happened to them upon the west coast of America,
where they lost two boats and twenty-two men, including six
officers, in a surf.
[A TABLE of the WINDS and WEATHER, etc. etc. on a Passage
from Rio de Janeiro to the Cape of Good Hope; and from thence to
Botany-Bay, on the East Coast of New Holland, on board His
Majesty's Ship SIRIUS, in 1787, and Beginning of 1788.]
[The table is included in the HTML version]