Settlement of Rose Hill
The _Golden Grove_ returns from Norfolk Island
The storeships sail for England
Transactions
James Daley tried and executed for housebreaking
Botany Bay examined by the governor
A convict found dead in the woods
Christmas Day
A native taken and brought up to the settlement
Weather
Climate
Report of deaths from the departure of the fleet from England to the
31st of December 1788
November.] The month of November commenced with the establishment of a
settlement at the head of the harbour. On the 2nd, his excellency the
governor went up to the Crescent, with the surveyor-general, two
officers, and a small party of marines, to choose the spot, and to mark
out the ground for a redoubt and other necessary buildings; and two days
after a party of ten convicts, being chiefly people who understood the
business of cultivation, were sent up to him, and a spot upon a rising
ground, which his excellency named Rose Hill, in compliment to G. Rose
Esq. one of the secretaries of the treasury, was ordered to be cleared
for the first habitations. The soil at this spot was of a stiff clayey
nature, free from that rock which every where covered the surface at
Sydney Cove, well clothed with timber, and unobstructed by underwood.
The party of convicts having, during the course of the month, been
gradually increased, the subaltern's command was augmented by a captain
with an additional number of private men; and it being found necessary
that the commanding officer should be vested with civil power and
authority sufficient to inflict corporal punishment on the convicts for
idleness and other petty offences, the governor constituted him a justice
of the peace for the county of Cumberland for that purpose.
10th. While this little settlement was establishing itself, the _Golden
Grove_ returned from Norfolk Island, having been absent five weeks and
four days. It brought letters from Lieutenant King, the commandant, who
wrote in very favourable terms of his young colony. His people continued
healthy, having fish and vegetables in abundance; by the former of which
he was enabled to save some of his salted provisions. He had also the
promise of a good crop from the grain which had been last sown, and his
gardens wore the most flourishing appearance.
A coconut perfectly fresh, and a piece of wood said to resemble the
handle of a fly-flap as made at the Friendly Islands, together with the
remains of two canoes, had been found among the rocks, perhaps blown from
some island which might lie at no great distance.
The _Golden Grove_, on her return to this port, saw a very dangerous
reef, the south end of which, according to the observation of Mr.
Blackburn (the master of the _Supply_) who commanded her for the voyage,
lay in the latitude of 29 degrees 25 minutes South, and longitude 159
degrees 29 minutes East. It appeared to extend, when she was about four
leagues from it, from the NE by N to N.
The _Golden Grove_ brought from Norfolk Island a lower yard and a
top-gallant-mast for herself, and the like for the _Fishburn_.
A soldier belonging to the detachment, who was employed with some others
in preparing shingles at a little distance from the settlement, was
reported by his comrades, toward the latter end of last month, to be
missing from the hut or tent, and parties were sent out in search of him;
but returning constantly without success, he was at length given up; and
a convict who was employed in assisting the party, and who had been the
last person seen with him, was taken into custody; but on his examination
nothing appeared that could at all affect him.
Another soldier of the detachment died at the hospital of the bruises he
received in fighting with one of his comrades, who was, with three
others, taken into custody, and afterward tried upon a charge of murder,
but found guilty of manslaughter. Instead of burning in the hand, (which
would not have been in this country an adequate punishment), each was
sentenced to receive two hundred lashes.
The two storeships sailed for England on the 19th. By these ships the
governor sent home dispatches, and he strongly recommended to the masters
to make their passage round by the south cape of this country; but it was
conjectured that they intended to go round Cape Horn, and touch at Rio de
Janeiro.
The small redoubt that was begun in July last being finished, a
flag-staff was erected, and two pieces of iron ordnance placed in it.
In order to prevent, if possible, the practice of thieving, which at
times was very frequent, an order was given, directing that no convict,
who should in future be found guilty of theft, should be supplied with
any other clothing than a canvas frock and trousers. It was at the same
time ordered, that such convicts as should in future fail to perform a
day's labour, should receive only two thirds of the ration that was
issued to those who could and did work.
Unimportant as these circumstances may appear when detailed at a distance
from the time when they were necessary, they yet serve to show the nature
of the people by whom this colony (whatever may be its fate) was first
founded; as well as the attention that was paid by those in authority,
and the steps taken by them, for establishing good order and propriety
among them, and for eradicating villany and idleness.
December.] James Daley, the convict who in August pretended to have
discovered an inexhaustible source of wealth, and was punished for his
imposition, was observed from that time to neglect his labour, and to
loiter about from hut to hut, while others were at work. He was at last
taken up and tried for breaking into a house, and stealing all the
property he could find in it; of this offence he was convicted, and
suffered death; the governor not thinking him an object of mercy. Before
he was turned off, he confessed that he had committed several thefts, to
which he had been induced by bad connections, and pointed out two women
who had received part of the property for the acquisition of which he was
then about to pay so dear a price. These women were immediately
apprehended, and one of them made a public example of, to deter others
from offending in the like manner. The convicts being all assembled for
muster, she was directed to stand forward, and, her head having been
previously deprived of its natural covering, she was clothed with a
canvas frock, on which was painted, in large characters, R. S. G.
(receiver of stolen goods) and threatened with punishment if ever she was
seen without it. This was done in the hope that shame might operate, at
least with the female part of the prisoners, to the prevention of crimes;
but a great number of both sexes had too long been acquainted with each
other in scenes of disgrace, for this kind of punishment to work much
reformation among them. This, however, must be understood to be spoken
only of the lowest class of these people, among whom the commission of
offences was chiefly found to exist; for there were convicts of both
sexes who were never known to associate with the common herd, and whose
conduct was marked by attention to their labour, and obedience to the
orders they received.
On the 11th, the governor set off with a small party in boats, to examine
the different branches of Botany Bay, and, after an excursion of five
days, returned well satisfied that no part of that extensive bay was
adapted to the purpose of a settlement; thus fully confirming the reports
he had received from others, and the opinions he had
himself formed.
A convict having been found dead in the woods near the settlement, an
enquiry into the cause of his death was made by the provost-marshal; when
it appeared from the evidence of Mr. Balmain, one of the
assistant-surgeons who attended to open him, and of the people who lived
with the deceased, that he died through want of nourishment, and through
weakness occasioned by the heat of the sun. It appeared that he had not
for more than a week past eaten his allowance of provisions, the whole
being found in his box. It was proved by those who knew him, that he was
accustomed to deny himself even what was absolutely necessary to his
existence, abstaining from his provisions, and selling them for money,
which he was reserving, and had somewhere concealed, in order to purchase
his passage to England when his time should expire.
Mr. Reid, the carpenter of the _Supply_, now undertook the construction
of a boat-house on the east side, for the purpose of building, with the
timber of this country, a launch or hoy, capable of being employed in
conveying provisions to Rose Hill, and for other useful and necessary
purposes. The working convicts were employed on Saturdays, until ten
o'clock in the forenoon, in forming a landing-place on the east side of
the cove. At the point on the west side, a magazine was marked out, to be
constructed of stone, and large enough to contain fifty or sixty barrels
of powder.
Christmas Day was observed with proper ceremony. Mr. Johnson preached a
sermon adapted to the occasion, and the major part of the officers of the
settlement were afterward entertained at dinner by the governor.
It being remarked with concern, that the natives were becoming every day
more troublesome and hostile, several people having been wounded, and
others, who were necessarily employed in the woods, driven in and much
alarmed by them, the governor determined on endeavouring to seize and
bring into the settlement, one or two of those people, whose language it
was become absolutely necessary to acquire, that they might learn to
distinguish friends from enemies.
Accordingly, on the 30th a young man was seized and brought up by
Lieutenant Ball of the _Supply_, and Lieutenant George Johnston of the
marines. A second was taken; but, after dragging into the water beyond
his depth the man who seized him, he got clear off. The native who was
secured was immediately on his landing led up to the governor's, where he
was clothed, a slight iron or manacle put upon his wrist, and a trusty
convict appointed to take care of him. A small hut had been previously
built for his reception close to the guardhouse, wherein he and his
keeper were locked up at night; and the following morning the convict
reported, that he slept very well during the night, not offering to make
any attempt to get away.
The weather, during the month of December, was for the first part hot and
close; the middle was fine; the latter variable, but mostly fine--upon
the whole the month was very hot. The climate was allowed by every one,
medical as well as others, to be fine and salubrious. The rains were
heavy, and appeared to fall chiefly on or about the full and change of
the moon. Thunder and lightning at times had been severe, but not
attended with any bad effects since the month of February last.
The following report of the casualties which had happened from the day of
our leaving England to the 31st of December 1788, was given in at this
time, viz.
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Casualties from May 13, 1787, Garrison Convicts
to December 31, 1788 Man Woman Child Man Woman Child Total
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Died on the passage, from May 13,
1787, to Januarv 26, 1788, 1 1 1 20 4 9 36
Died between January 26, 1788,
and January 1, 1789, 5 0 1 28 13 9 56
Killed by the natives in the above
time, 0 0 0 4 0 0 4
Executed in the above time, 0 0 0 5 0 0 5
Missing in the above time, 1 0 0 12 1 0 14
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Total 7 1 2 69 18 18 115
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