he was convinced of the propriety and absolute necessity of the measure.

Governor Phillip, with a party of marines and some artificers, arrived in Port Jackson, and anchored off the mouth of the Cove intended for the settlement, on the evening of the 25th; and in the course of the following day, sufficient ground was cleared for encamping the officer's guard, and the convicts who had landed in the morning. The spot chosen for this purpose was at the head of the Cove, near a run of fresh water, which stole silently through a very thick wood, the stillness of which 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. The following beautiful verses were written by Dr Darwin, the ingenious author of the Botanic Garden, in allusion to this allegory. To readers of taste any encomium of ours on their merits would be quite unnecessary.

"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 wide plain she stretched her snowy hand,
High-waving wood, and sea-encircled strand.

* Hear me,' she cried, 'ye rising realms! record
Time's op'ning 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 glitt'ring streams, and bound the chafing tide;
Embellish'd villas crown the landscape-scene,
Farms wave with gold, and orchards blush between.-
There shall tall spires, and dome-capt tow'rs ascend,
And piers and quays their massy structures blend;
While with each breeze approaching vessels glide,
And northern treasures dance on ev'ry 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."

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 wood. 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.

As soon as the hurry and tumult necessarily attending the disembarkation had a little subsided, the governor caused his Majesty's commission, appointing him to be his captain-general and governor in chief in and over the territory of New South Wales and its dependencies, to be publicly read, together with the letters-patent for establishing the courts of civil and criminal judicature in the territory. The ceremony of reading these public instruments having been performed by the judge-advocate, the Governor addressed the convicts, assured them, among other things, that "he should ever be ready to shew approbation and encouragement to those who proved themselves worthy of them by good conduct; while, on the other hand, such as were determined to act in opposition to propriety, would inevitably meet with the punishment that they deserved." He remarked how much it was their interest to forget the habits of vice and indolence in which too many of them had hitherto lived; and exhorted them to be honest among themselves, obedient to their overseers, and attentive to the several works in which they were about to be employed.

It appeared by the letters patent under the great seal of Great Britain, that his Majesty had authorised, by his commission under the great seal, "the Governor, or in his absence the lieutenant-governor, to convene from time to time, as occasion might require, a court of criminal jurisdiction; which court was to be a court of record, and to consist of the judgeadvocate and such six officers of the sea and land service as the Governor should, by precept issued under his hand and seal, require to assemble for that purpose. The major part of this court to adjudge whether or not the prisoner be guilty.

If guilty, and the offence be capital, they are to pronounce sentence of death, or such corporeal punishment as should be deemed fit. There is also a civil court, consisting of the Judge advocate and two inhabitants appointed by the governor. This court has full power to hear and determine all personal pleas, and to grant probates of wills, &c. In addition to these courts there is a vice-admiralty court for the trial of offences committed upon the high seas, of which the lieutenant-governor is constituted. The Governor has, beside that of captain-general, a commission constituting him vice admiral of the territory; and another vesting him with authority to hold general courts-martial, and to confirm or set aside the sentence. The major-commandant of the detachment had the usual power of assembling regimental or battalion courts-martial for the trial of offences committed by the soldiers under his command.

CHAP. IV.

Depravity of the Convicts-One of them executed-Transactions after the Landing-The Supply sent to Norfolk Island-Description of that place-Natives of Port Jackson.

THE convicts had been mustered early in the morning, when nine were reported to be absent. From the situation which had been unavoidably adopted, it was impossible to prevent these people from straggling. Fearless of the danger which must attend them, many had visited the French ships in Botany Bay, soliciting to be taken on board. It was soon found, that they had secreted at least one-third of their working-tools, and that any sort of labour was with difficulty procured from them.

Governor Phillip soon found, with great regret, though doubtless, without much surprize, that in the community committed to his care, the strict enforcement of the sanctions

of law was peculiarly necessary. There were in it many individuals whom neither lenity could touch, nor rigour terrify; who, without sense of social duty, appeared to have lost all value for life itself, and with the same wantonness exposed themselves to the darts of the savages, and to the severe punishments which, however reluctantly, every society must inflict when milder methods have been tried without success. Towards the latter end of February a criminal court was convened, in which six of the convicts received sentence of death. One, who was the head of the gang, was executed the same day; of the rest, one was pardoned; the other four were reprieved, and afterwards exiled to a small island within the bay, where they were kept on bread and water. These men had frequently robbed the stores, and the other convicts. He who suffered, and two others, had been detected in stealing from the stores the very day that they had received a week's provision; at a time when their allowance, as settled by the navy board, was the same as that of the soldiers, spirituous liquors excepted. So inveterate were their habits of dishonesty, that even the apparent want of a motive could not repress them.

A portable canvas-house, brought over for the Governor, was erected on the east side of the Cove, (which was named Sydney) where a small body of convicts were put under tents. The detachment of marines was encamped at the head of the Cove near the stream; and on the west side was placed the main body of the convicts. Every person belonging to the settlement being landed, the numbers amounted to 1030 per

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, spinnach, and parsley, fortunately grew in