FIRST DESPATCH, 267 by leaving the convoy, to gain sufficient time to examine the 1788 country round Botany Bay, and Qx on the most eligible situation 15 May. for the colony before the transports arrived. At the same time I ordered the agent for the transports in the Alexander to separ- ate from the convoy with that ship, the Scarborough, and Friend- ship. They sailing better than the others, I had reason to expect their arrival soon after the Supply, and by having the labour of the convicts they had on board, much might be done in preparing for the landing the stores and provisions. Major Ross now left the Sirius and went on board the Scar- ^lajor Ross, borough, that he might be with that part of the detachment which would probably be the first landed. Captain Hunter, in the Sirius, was to follow with the store- Captain ships and the remainder of the transports, and he had the neces- sary instructions for his future proceedings, should the Supply meet with any accident. The westerly winds we now had continued till the 3rd of Coost-iine January, when we saw the coast of New South Wales, but the sSanuary. winds which had been so favourable having seldom been to the eastward, and then for a few hours only, blowing from the N.W. to the S.W., generally very strong gales, now left us, and we had variable winds with a current that at times set very strong to the Arrival at southward, so that we did not arrive at Botany Bay before the is January!' 18th; The Alexander, Scarborough, and Friendship, came in the next Tho Fleet day, and the Sirius, with the rest of the ships, the day after. Those ships had continued very healthy. The Supply sailing very badly had not permitted my gaining the advantage hoped for ; but I began to examine the bay as The bay soon as we anchored, and found that, tho' extensive, it did not ®^*™"' * afford shelter to ships from the easterly winds, the greater part of the bay being so shoal that ships of even a moderate draught of water are obliged to anchor with the entrance of the bay open, and are exposed to a heavy sea that rolls in when it blows hard from the eastward. Several small runs of fresh water were found in different parts Freshwater, of the bay, but I did not see any situation to which there was not some very strong objection.* The small creek that is in the ♦ Phillip's Voyage, p. 45 ; Collins, p. 2; Hunter, p. 42; Tench, p. 48. Digitized byCjOOQlC
