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had then, for the first time since the creation, been interrupted by the rude sound of the labourer's axe, and the downfal of its ancient inhabitants:-a stillness and tranquillity which, from that day, were to give place to the noise of labour, the confusion of camps and towns, and the busy hum of its new possessors.

This impressive scene has not escaped the notice of the painter and the poet. The ingenious Mr. Wedgewood modelled a medallion from a small piece of fine clay sent from Sydney Cove. 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.

In the evening of this day, the whole of the party then present were assembled at the point where they had first landed in the morning, and on which a flag-staff had been purposely erected, and an union jack displayed; when the marines fired several vollies, between which the healths of his majesty and the royal family, with success to the new colony, were most cordially drank. The day, which had been extremely fine, concluded with the safe arrival of the Sirius and the convoy from Botany bay,-thus terminating the voyage with the same good fortune which had from its commencement been so conspicuously their friend and companion.

The disembarkation of the troops and convicts took place from the following day, until the whole were landed. The confusion that ensued will not be wondered at, when it is considered, that every man stepped from the boat literally into a vood. Parties of people were every where heard and seen variously employed; some in clearing ground for the different encampments; others in pitching tents, or bringing up such stores as were more immediately wanted; and the spot which had so lately been the abode of silence and tranquillity was now changed to that of noise, clamour, and confusion; but after a short time, order gradually prevailed. As the woods were opened and the ground cleared, the various encampments were extended, and all wore the appearance of regularity and decorum.

Every person belonging to the settlement being landed, the number amounted to 1030 persons. The tents for the sick were placed on the west side; and it was observed, with concern, that their numbers were fast increasing. The scurvy, that had not appeared during the passage, now broke out; which, aided by a dysentery, began to fill the hospital, and several died. In addition to the medicines that were administered, every species of esculent plants that could be found in the country were procured for them: wild celery, spinage, and parsley, fortunately grew in great abundance: those who were in health, as well as the sick, were very glad to introduce them into their messes, and found them a pleasant as well as wholesome addition to the ration of salt provisions.

The public stock, consisting of one bull, four cows, one bull calf, one stallion, three mares, and three colts, was removed to a spot at the head of the adjoining cove, which was cleared for a small farm, intended to be placed under the direction of a person brought out by the governor.

Some ground having been prepared near his excellency's house on the east side, the plants from Rio de Janeiro and the cape of Good Hope were safely brought on shore; and the new settlers soon had the satisfaction of seeing the grape, the fig, the orange, the pear, and the apple, those delicious fruits of the Old, taking root and establishing themselves in their New World.

No very good fortune had hitherto attended the live stock belonging to the settlement, but the heaviest blow was yet to come. About this time the two bulls and four cows, belonging to government, and to the governor, having been left for a time by the man who was appointed to attend them, strayed into the woods, and though they were traced to some distance, never could be recovered. This was a loss for some time irreparable.

Exemplary punishments seemed about this period to be growing daily more necessary. Stock was often killed, huts and tents broke open, and provisions constantly stolen, particularly about the latter end of the week; as many of those unthrifty people, taking no care to husband their provisions

through the seven days that they were intended to last them, had consumed the whole by the end of the third or fourth day. One of this description made his week's allowance of flour (eight pounds) into cakes, which he devoured at one meal; he was soon after taken speechless and senseless, and died the following day, a loathsome putrid object. James Bennett, a youth of seventeen years of age, was exccuted for breaking open and robbing a tent. An elderly woman, a convict, having been detected in stealing a flat-iron, hung herself to the ridge-pole of her tent, but was fortunately discovered in time to preserve her life. What feeling could tempt her to this rash action it would be difficult to guess, as her being a convict too plainly proved that she could survive the loss of character.

Heavy rains and a terrible hurricane did much damage and impeded the improvement of the settlement. Several of the convicts, who wandered without the lines, were murdered by the natives, who at this time were suffering severely from the small-pox. Some provisions were received from the cape of Good Hope, but the uncertainty of the time when more might arrive, made it necessary to reduce the ration to two-thirds of each species, and a ship was dispatched to Batavia to obtain a cargo of flour, beef, and rice.

Governor Phillip, who had uniformly directed every undertaking in person since the formation of the colony, went down in the morning of the 7th of September, to the South Head, accompanied by two officers, to give some instructions to the people employed in erecting a column at that place. As he was returning to the settlement, he received information, by a boat which had landed some gentlemen in the lower part of the harbour, who were going on an excursion to Broken bay, that Bennillong, the native who escaped in May, had been seen there among many others of his countrymen that had assembled to feast upon a whale, which after being attacked by our people in the harbour, and overturning a boat whereby three lives were lost, had got on shore in Manly bay. Anxious to see him again, the governor, after taking some arms from the party at the Look-out, went down and landed VOL. IV. 3 B

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