NORFOLK ISLAND. 271 coast to any considerable distance. It was absolutely necessary to 1788 be certain of a sufficient quantity of fresh water, in a situation that 15 May. was healthy, and which the ships might approach within a reason- Freshwater able distance for the conveniency of landing the stores and pro- vSnient visions ; and I am fully persuaded that we should never have i"i<**"K' succeeded had it been attempted to move them only one mile from where they were landed. There are some parts of this harbour where the trees stand at a considerable distance from each other, and where there are small runs of water, which shall be cultivated when our numbers permit; and when the country can be examined, I make no doubt but some good situations will be found that have want of water, which I have never yet been able to find either in Botany ^^*® Bay, or in this harbour, but in very small streams. Some land that is near, and where the trees stand at a consider- able distance from each other, will, as soon as convicts can be spared, be cultivated by the officers for raising a little corn for Cultivation their stock, and this I have endeavoured to promote as much as officers, possible, for I fear the consequences if a ship should be lost in her passage out with provisions.* As there are only twelve convicts who are carpenters, as many Carpenters as could be procured from the ships have been hired to work on the hospitalt and store-houses. The people were healthy when landed, but the scurvy has for some time appeared amongst them, and now rages in a most extraordinary manner. Only sixteen carpenters could be hired from the ships, and several of the convict carpenters were sick. It was now the middle of February ; the rains began Heavy rains to fall very heavy, and pointed out the necessity of hutting the ° * ""^* people ; convicts were therefore appointed to assist the detachment in this work. The immediate occupation of Norfolk Island bein^ one a branch , , , , 1 , - • . colony. of Phillip s instructions, no timo was lost m carrying it out.
- This fear was realised when H.M.S. Guardian, under the command of
Captain Riou, with stores and provisions for the colony, was lost on the voyage out in December, 1789. Collins, p. 115. + According to P<^ron, the building used as the hospital was brought ont in pieces from England : — Plus loin se pr^sentent les grands b&timens de VhOpital, susceptibles de recevoir deux ou trois cents malades : il faut distinguer parmi ces b&timens celni dont toutes les pieces, pr^par^es en Europe, furent apport^es dans les vaisseaux du commodore Phillip, et qui, pea de jours apr^s Tarriv^e de la flotte, se trouva en ^tat de recevoir les malades qu'elle avoit kbord — Voyage, vol. i, p. 369. According to Phillip, the hospital was not completed in May ; post^ p. 292. Digitized by Google
