“The government of the country was intrusted by His Majesty to Arthur Phillip, Esq. a Post Captain in the service.—The convicts for whose disposal this speculation was undertaken, consisted of 565 men and 192 women; and every necessary arrangement having been made by the naval and military commanders, which seemed best calculated to ensure a fortunate termination to the voyage, on Sunday the 13th of May 1787, the little fleet, which had previously collected at the Mother Bank, sailed with a leading wind through the Needle passage, accompanied by the Hon. Captain de Courcy in the Hyena frigate. “This expedition anchored in Botany Bay, after a voyage of eight months and one week. The Governor employed a short time in examining, but had not seen any spot to which some strong objection did not apply. If in one place he met with a promising soil, it was deficient in that grand essential, fresh water, and was besides too confined for their numbers. He therefore determined on examining the adjacent harbours of Port Jackson and Broken Bay, and for that purpose set off in three open boats accompanied by some of the officers of the settlement. “The coast as he drew near Port Jackson wore a most unpromising appearance, and the natives every where greeted the fleet with shouts of defiance and prohibition, the words “Warra, warra,” Go away, go away, resounding wherever they appeared. The Governor’s utmost expectation, as he drew near the harbour, being to find what Captain Cook, as he passed by it, thought might be found, shelter for a boat, he was most agreeably surprised at discovering, on his entrance, a harbour capable of affording security for a much larger fleet than would probably ever seek shelter or security within its limits. “In one of the coves of this noble and capacious harbour, he determined to fix the future seat of his government, it having been found to possess a sufficiency of water and soil. Having completed his research in three days, he returned to Botany Bay, and gave directions for an immediate removal thence; a circumstance which gave general satisfaction, as nothing had been discovered in that place which could excite a wish to pass another day in it.” The place of settlement thus fixed on is the present town of Sydney, which has since then increased in a very remarkable degree. In Van Diemen’s Land, also under the jurisdiction of the Governor of New South Wales, a similar establishment has been subsequently formed. Both these colonies are increasing rapidly; moderate encouragement having been held out to free settlers, and many of them have become highly prosperous there: the convicts too, after the termination of their banishment, having become accustomed to the country, and informed of its great natural advantages, induced also by the fineness of the climate and the luxuriance of its soil, have, rather than return home, determined to become settlers,—and wisely so, as some of them are already in a very thriving way.