The great number of spermaceti whales that had been seen on the coast of New South Wales, induced the masters of those vessels which were fitted out for that fishery, and intended, after landing the convicts, to proceed to the north-west coast of America, to try for a cargo here:  indeed, the master of the Britannia, a vessel belonging to Messieurs Enderbys, of London, who have the merit of being the first that adventured to the South Seas for whales, assured Governor Phillip, that he had seen more spermaceti whales in his passage from the south cape to Port Jackson, than he had ever seen on the Brazil coast, although he had been six years on that fishery.

No time was lost by the masters of these ships in getting ready for sea:  the Britannia sailed on the 25th of October, in company with the William and Ann:  the Mary Ann and the Matilda sailed the day before, and the Salamander sailed on the 1st of November.  The Britannia returned from her cruize on the 10th of November, being the first ship which had ever fished for whales on the coast of New South Wales.

The following letter from the Master of the Britannia, to Messrs. Enderbys, his owners, we subjoin for the reader’s satisfaction, because it shows the first introduction of a whale-fishery, on the coast of New South Wales.

-Ship Britannia, Sydney, Port-Jackson_,

-November 29, 1791_.

Messrs. Samuel Enderby and Sons,

Gentlemen,

I have the pleasure to inform you of our safe arrival in Port Jackson, in New South Wales, October 13, after a passage of fifty-five days from the Cape of Good Hope.  We were only six weeks from the Cape to Van Diemen’s Land, but met with contrary winds after we doubled Van Diemen’s Land, which made our passage longer than I expected.  We parted company with our agent the next day after we left the Cape of Good Hope, and never saw him again till we arrived at Port-Jackson, both in one day.  The Albemarle and we sailed much alike.  The Admiral Barrington arrived three days after us.  I am very well myself, thank God, and all the crew are in high spirits.  We lost in all on our passage from England twenty-one convicts and one soldier.  We had one birth on our passage from the Cape.  I tried to make and made the island of Amsterdam, and made it in the longitude of 76 deg. 4’ 14” east from Greenwich, by a good lunar observation:  my intention was to run close to it to discover whether the sealing business might not have been carried on there; but the weather was so bad, and thick weather coming on, I did not think it prudent to attempt it, likewise to lose a night’s run, and a fair wind blowing.