A N A C C O U N T
OF T H E
E N G L I S H C O L O N Y
IN
N E W S O U T H W A L E S .
C H A P . I .
.ARRIVAL OF THE FLEET A T BOTANY BAY .— THE GOVERNOR PROCEEDS TO
PORT JACKSON, WHERE IT IS DETERMINED TO FIX THE SETTLEMENT.—
TWO FRENCH SHIPS UNDER M. DE LA PEROUs'e ARRIVE A T BOTANY BAY.
— THE SIRIUS AND CONVOY ARRIVE A T PORT JACKSON.--- TRANSACTIONS.
----DISEMBARKATION.----COMMISSION AND LETTERS-PATENT READ.----EXTENT
OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.— BEHAVIOUR OF THE
CONVICTS.— THE CRIMINAL COURT TWICE ASSEMBLED.— ACCOUNT OF
THE DIFFERENT COURTS.— THE SUPPLY SENT WITH SOME SETTLERS TO
NORFOLK ISLAND.----TRANSACTIONS.— NATIVES.— WEATHER.
W ' h e n th e S ir iu s an ch ored in th e b a y , C ap tain H u n te r w a s in fo
rm ed th a t th e S u p p ly had pre ced ed him. in h is a r r iv al o n ly tw o d a y s ;
and that th e ag ent L ie u ten a n t S h o r tlan d , w i th his' d e ta chm en t from th e
fleet, had ar riv ed bu t th e d a y b efore the S ir iu s and h e r c o n v o y .
T h u s , u n d e r th e b le flin g o f G o d , w a s h a p p ily com p le ted , in e ig h t
months and one w e e k , a v o y a g e w h ic h , be fo re it w a s u n d e r ta k en , th e
m ind h a rd ly dared v en tu re to con tem p la te , and on w h ic h it w a s im p o f-
fib le to re'fledt w ith o u t fom e ap p rehenfions as to its te rmina tion. T h is
fortuna te com ple tion o f it , h ow e v e r , afforded e v en to ou r fe lv e s as m u ch 1
matter o f furp rife as o f g enera l fa t is fa d io n ; fo r in th e ab ov e fpace o f
B . time