The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island; compiled from Authentic Papers, which have been obtained from the several Departments to which are added the Journals of Lieuts. Shortland, Watts, Ball and Capt. Marshall with an Account of their New Discoveries, embellished with fifty five Copper Plates, the Maps and Charts taken from Actual Surveys, and the plans and views drawn on the spot, by Capt. Hunter, Lieuts. Shortland, Watts, Dawes, Bradley, Capt. Marshall, etc.
London Printed for John Stockdale, Piccadilly 1789
TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY, LORD CHAMBERLAIN OF HIS MAJESTY'S HOUSEHOLD, ETC., ETC. THIS VOLUME, CONTAINING ALL THAT IS YET KNOWN OF THE SETTLEMENT AT SYDNEY COVE, IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS LORDSHIP'S MUCH OBLIGED, AND MOST FAITHFUL HUMBLE SERVANT, JOHN STOCKDALE. NOVEMBER 25, 1789.
ANECDOTES OF GOVERNOR PHILLIP.
Arthur Phillip is one of those officers, who, like Drake, Dampier, and Cook, has raised himself by his merit and his services, to distinction and command. His father was Jacob Phillip, a native of Frankfort, in Germany, who having settled in England, maintained his family and educated his son by teaching the languages. His mother was Elizabeth Breach, who married for her first husband, Captain Herbert of the navy, a kinsman of Lord Pembroke. Of her marriage with Jacob Phillip, was her son, Arthur, born in the parish of Allhallows, Bread-street, within the city of London, on the 11th of October, 1738.
Being designed for a seafaring life, he was very properly sent to the school of Greenwich, where he received an education suitable to his early propensities. At the age of sixteen, he began his maritime career, under the deceased Captain Michael Everet of the navy, at the commencement of hostilities, in 1755: and at the same time that he learned the rudiments of his profession under that able officer, he partook with him in the early misfortunes, and subsequent glories of the seven years war. Whatever opulence Phillip acquired from the capture of the Havannah, certain it is, that, at the age of twenty-three, he there was made a Lieutenant into the Stirling-castle, on the 7th of June, 1761, by Sir George Pococke, an excellent judge of naval accomplishments.
But of nautical exploits, however they may raise marine officers, there must be an end. Peace, with its blessings, was restored in 1763. And Phillip now found leisure to marry; and to settle at Lyndhurst, in the New Forest, where he amused himself with farming, and like other country gentlemen, discharged assiduously those provincial offices, which, however unimportant, occupy respectably the owners of land, who, in this island, require no office to make them important.
But sailors, like their own element, are seldom at rest. Those occupations, which pleased Phillip while they were new, no longer pleased him when they became familiar. And he hastened to offer his skill and his services to Portugal when it engaged in warfare with Spain. His offer was readily accepted, because such skill and services were necessary amidst an arduous struggle with a too powerful opponent. And, such was his conduct and such his success, that when the recent interference of France, in 1778, made it his duty to fight for his king, and to defend his country, the Portugueze court regretted his departure, but applauded his motive.
His return was doubtless approved by those who, knowing his value, could advance his rank: For he was made master and commander into the Basilisk fireship, on the 2d of September, 1779. But in her he had little opportunity of displaying his zeal, or of adding to his fame. This step, however, led him up to a higher situation; and he was made post-captain into the Ariadne frigate, on the 13th of November, 1781, when he was upwards of three and forty. This is the great epoch in the lives of our naval officers, because it is from this that they date their rank. In the Ariadne, he had little time for active adventures, or for gainful prizes, being appointed to the Europe of sixty-four guns, on the 23d of December, 1781. During the memorable year 1782, Phillip promoted its enterprises, and shared in its glories. And in January, 1783, he sailed with a reinforcement to the East Indies, where superior bravery contended against superior force, till the policy of our negotiators put an end to unequal hostilities by a necessary peace.
The activity, or the zeal of Phillip, was now turned to more peaceful objects. And when it was determined to form a settlement on that part of New Holland, denominated New South Wales, he was thought of as a proper officer to conduct an enterprize, which required professional knowledge, and habitual prudence. His equipment, his voyage, and his settlement, in the other hemisphere, will be found in the following volume. When the time shall arrive that the European settlers on Sydney Cove demand their historian, these authentic anecdotes of their pristine legislator will be sought for as curious, and considered as important.
ERRATA (These have been corrected in this eBook) Page, line 1, 15, for enterprizes, read enterprises. 13, penult. for only fifty, read an hundred. Ibid. ult. for Penryn, read Penrhyn. 75, 7, for Surprize, read Surprise. 87, 14, after 17, dele th. 96, 13, for into, read in. 149, 10, for Kangooroo, read Kanguroo. The orthography of a word derived only from oral sound is in some degree arbitrary; but it ought to be consistant. The plates, by mistake, have Kangooroo. 185, 14, for it were were, read if it were. 203, 3, for Fobn, read Thomas. 213, 10, for four, read forty. 228, 23, bis, for Macauley, read Macaulay. 231, 15, for Patri, read Pabi. 252, Margin, for May, read June. 253, Ditto. 255, Margin, for July, read June. 256, Ditto. 232, 18, for Taha, read Toha. 242, 9, for who, read whom. 246, 25, for veer'd, read near'd.
N. B. Some of the early impressions of the plates have erroneously Wulpine Oppossum for Vulpine Opossum. After a few were work'd off the fault was perceived, and corrected.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The arrangement of materials in this volume being in some respects less perfect than might be wished, it is necessary that something should be said to obviate any imputation of negligence. The truth will be the best, and, as it ought, the only apology. The official papers of Governor Phillip, which were liberally communicated by Government, formed at first our principal source of intelligence. These, from their nature, could contain but little information on subjects of natural history, and many other points, concerning which the curiosity of every reader would naturally be excited. The efforts of the publisher to give satisfaction to the public in these respects produced a gradual influx of materials; and the successive arrival of different vessels from the Indian seas, occasioned additions to the work, which made it necessary to engrave new plates. While, therefore, the completion of the book was anxiously pressed by many who were eager to possess it, that desirable point has constantly been deferred by the communications of those who were studious to render it more valuable; and the word Finis, has seemed to fly from us, like Italy before the wandering Trojans. From the combination of these circumstances it has arisen, that every separate part has been hurried on in the execution; and yet, in the finishing of the whole, more time has elapsed, than would have been necessary to complete a much more ample volume. The defects that proceed from these causes, it is hoped, the reader will forgive, and accept with complacency a volume in which, it is confidently hoped, nothing material has been omitted that is connected with its principal object, the formation of a settlement promising both glory and advantage to this country; in which several important discoveries are announced; no small accession is made to the stores of natural history; and interesting notices are communicated of countries visited before, and persons in whose fate the public has long felt an interest.
The publisher thinks it his duty, in this place, to return thanks to the following noblemen and gentlemen, for their kind assistance and free communications. The Marquis of Salisbury, Viscount Sydney, Lord Hood, Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. Mr. Rose, Mr. Nepean, Mr. Stephens, Sir Charles Middleton, Sir Andrew Snape Hammond, Mr. Dalrymple, and Mr. Chalmers: but, to Mr. Latham particularly, the most grateful acknowledgements are due, for having furnished many drawings and accurate descriptions, which stamp a value on the natural history contained in this work, and must for ever render it an object of attention to all lovers of that science: and to Lieutenant Shortland, Lieutenant Watts, and Captain Marshall, of the Scarborough transport, the public owe whatever important discoveries and useful knowledge may be found in their journals, which they communicated with a disinterestedness that the publisher will be always happy to acknowledge.
ACCOUNT OF THE VIGNETTE.
The elegant vignette in the title-page, was engraved from a medallion which the ingenious Mr. Wedge-wood caused to be modelled from a small piece of clay brought from Sydney Cove. The clay proves to be of a fine texture, and will be found very useful for the manufactory of earthern ware. The design is allegorical; it represents Hope encouraging Art and Labour, under the influence of Peace, to pursue the employments necessary to give security and happiness to an infant settlement. The following verses upon the same subject, and in allusion to the medallion, were written by the author of The Botanic Garden, and will speak more powerfully for themselves than any encomium we could bestow.
VISIT OF HOPE TO SYDNEY-COVE, NEAR BOTANY-BAY.
Where Sydney Cove her lucid bosom swells, Courts her young navies, and the storm repels; High on a rock amid the troubled air HOPE stood sublime, and wav'd her golden hair; Calm'd with her rosy smile the tossing deep, And with sweet accents charm'd the winds to sleep; To each wild plain she stretch'd her snowy hand, High-waving wood, and sea-encircled strand. "Hear me," she cried, "ye rising Realms! record "Time's opening scenes, and Truth's unerring word.-- "There shall broad streets their stately walls extend, "The circus widen, and the crescent bend; "There, ray'd from cities o'er the cultur'd land, "Shall bright canals, and solid roads expand.-- "There the proud arch, Colossus-like, bestride "Yon glittering streams, and bound the chasing tide; "Embellish'd villas crown the landscape-scene, "Farms wave with gold, and orchards blush between.-- "There shall tall spires, and dome-capt towers ascend, "And piers and quays their massy structures blend; "While with each breeze approaching vessels glide, "And northern treasures dance on every tide!"-- Then ceas'd the nymph--tumultuous echoes roar, And JOY's loud voice was heard from shore to shore-- Her graceful steps descending press'd the plain, And PEACE, and ART, and LABOUR, join'd her train.
