Immediate!;' 6n our anchoring, an officer from the Sirius Was feht on ffiore to
thé governor, who politefy prmnifed us every affiftance in his power; and at
fun-rife the next niottlihg the Sirius fainted the garrifon with thirteen guns,
Which Were returned by an equal number from the fort.
From the great uncertainty o f always getting readily on fliore from the bay,
and the refrelhments found at the Cape o f Good Hope being fo necenary after,
and fo Well adapted to the fatigues and diforders Confequeht on a-long voyage^
We found it a cuftom with m oll ftrangers on their arrival to take up their abode
in the town, with fome one or other of the inhabitants, who would for two rix-
dollars, (eight {hillings of Englilh money,) or a ducatoon, (fix {hillings Englift, J
per week, provide very good lodgings, and a table amply furniffied with the beft
meats,' vegetables, and fruits which could be procured at the Cape. This cuf-
tom was, as far as the nature of our fervice would admit, complied with by fè-
veral officers from the {hips; and, on the fecond day after our arrival, Captain
Phillip, with the principal officers o f the navy and fettlement, proceeded to the
government-houfe in the Company’s garden, where they were introduced to Mr.
Van de Graaf, (the governor, for the Dutch Eaft-India Company, of this place
and its dependencies,) and by him politely received.
With a requifition made by Captain Phillip of a certain quantity of flour and
cörh, the governor expreffed his apprehenfions o f being unable to comply, as
the Cape had beeh very lately vifited by that word o f fcourges— a famine, which
had been moft feverely felt by every femily in the town, his Own not exCepted.
This was a calamity which the fettlement had never before experienced, and was
tö be afcribed rather to bad management of, than any failure in, the late cröps.
Meafures Were however taking to guard, as much as human precaution could
guard, agamft fuch a misfortune in future; and magazines Were erefting for
the reception o f grain on the public account, which had never been found ne-
ceffary until fatal experience had fuggefted them. Captain Phillip’ s requeft was
to be kid before the Council, without whofe concurrence in fuch a bufinefs the
governor could not aft, and an anfwer was promifed with all convenient difr
patch. This anfwer, however, did not arrive until the 23d, when Captain Phil-
lip was informed that every article which he had demanded was ordered to be
Jurnifhed.
In the mean time the Slips of the fleet had ftruck their yards and topmaft?, (a
precaution always neceffary here to guard agamft the violence o f the fouth-eaft
wind, Which had been often known to drive (hips out of the hay,) and began filling
their water. On board of the Sirius and fome of the tranlports, the carpenters
were employed in fitting up flails for the reception o f the cattle that was to
11 be
be taken hence as flock for the intended colony at New South Wales. Thefe
were not ready until the 8 th of the next month, November, on which day, 1 bull,
1 bull-calf, 7 cows, 1 ftallion,. 3 mares, and 3 colts, together with as great a
number of rams, ewes, goats, boars, and breeding fows, as room could be provided
for, were embarked in the different {hips, the bulls and cows on board the
Sirius, the horfes on board the Lady Penrhyn; the remainder were put into the
Filhbourn ftore-ffiip and Friendlhip tranfport.
Shortly after our arrival in the bay, a foldier belonging to the Swifs regiment
of Muron, quartered here, {warn off from his poft and came on board one of the
tranfports, requefting to be permitted to proceed in hgr to New South Wales ;
but, as an agreement had been mutually entered into between the Dutch and
Englifli commanders, that deferters in -the fervice of, or fubjelts of either nation,
fhould be given up, Captain Phillip fent him on fhore, previoufly obtaining a
promife of his pardon from the regiment.
On the gth the watering o f the fleet being completed, corn and hay for the
flock, and flour, wine,-and fpirits for the fettlement, being all on board, preparations
were made for putting to fea, and on the loth the fignal was made to
unmoor.
The convi&s while in this port had been ferved, men and women, with one
pound and an half of foft bread each per diem; a pound o f frefh beef, or mutton,
and three quarters of a pound for each child, together with a liberal allowance
of vegetables.
While in this harbour, as at Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Johnfon, the chaplain,
preached on board two of the tranfports every Sunday ; and we had the fatisfac-
tion to fee the prifoners all wear the appearance of perfe& health on their being
about to quit this port, the laft whereat any refrefhment was to be expelled before
their arrival in New South Wales.
As it was earneftty wjfhed to introduce the fruits o f the Cape into the new
fettlement, Captain Phillip was ably .affifted in his endeavours to procure the
rareft and the bed of every fpecies, both in plant and feed, by Mr. Mafpn, the
king’s botanift, whom we were fo fortunate as to meet with here, .as well as by
Colonel Gordon, the commander in chief o f the troops at this place; a gentleman
whofe third for natural knowledge amply qualified him to be of fervice to
us, not only in procuring a great variety of the beft feeds and plants, but in
pointing out the culture, the foil, and the proper time of introducing them into
the ground.