In passing (at a distance from the coast) between the islands of Schooten and Furneaux, and Point Hicks; the former being the northermost of Captain Furneaux’s observations here, and the latter the southermost part, which Captain Cook saw when he sailed along the coast, there has been no land seen, and from our having felt an easterly set of current, when the wind was from that quarter (north-west) we had an uncommon large sea, there is reason thence to believe, that there is in that space either a very deep gulf, or a straight, which may separate Van Diemen’s Land from New Holland:  there have no discoveries been made on the western side of this land in the parallel I allude to, between 39 deg. 00’ and 42 deg. 00’ south, the land there having never been seen.

[A Table of the winds and weather etc. on a passage from the Cape of Good Hope to Port Jackson in His Majesty’s ship Sirius, 1789.] [An Account of Observations for finding the variation of the compass...] [The tables are included in the HTML version]

Chapter VI

TRANSACTIONS AT PORT JACKSON

May 1789 to January 1790

-The small-pox makes its appearance among the natives.—­Its fatal effects.—­A criminal court held.—­Six marines tried and convicted.—­Governor Phillip visits Broken-bay.—­Explores its various inlets.—­Returns to Port Jackson.  Broken-bay surveyed.—­Botany-bay surveyed.—­Two natives brought to the settlement, and kindly treated.—­One of them makes his escape.-

As soon as the ship was secured, I went on shore to wait on the governor, whom I found in good health; he was sitting by the fire, drinking tea with a few friends; among whom I observed a native man of this country, who was decently cloathed, and seemed to be as much at his ease at the tea-table as any person there; he managed his cup and saucer as well, as though he had been long accustomed to such entertainment.

This man was taken from his friends, by force, by Lieutenant Ball, of the Supply, and Lieutenant George Johnston, of the marines, who were sent down the harbour with two boats for that purpose; the governor having found that no encouragement he could give the natives, would dispose them to visit the settlement of their own accord:  this method he had therefore determined upon, to get one man into his possession, who, by kind treatment, might hereafter be the means of disposing his countrymen to place more confidence in us.  This man, whose name was Ara-ba-noo, was taken, as I have already said, by force, and in the following manner.

After having been a short time in conversation with some of the gentlemen, one of the seamen, who had been previously directed, threw a rope round his neck, and dragged him in a moment down to the boat; his cries brought a number of his friends into the skirts of the wood, from whence they threw many lances, but without effect.  The terror this poor wretch suffered, can better be conceived than expressed; he believed he was to be immediately murdered; but, upon the officers coming into the boat, they removed the rope from his neck to his leg, and treated him with so much kindness, that he became a little more chearful.