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An Account of the Expedition of H.M.S.
"Success,"
Captain James Stirling, RN., from Sydney, to the Swan River, in 1827.
By Augustus H. Gilbert, Clerk of H.M.S. "Success."
We sailed from Sydney on Wednesday, 17th January, having on board as passengers Mr. Fraser, Colonial Botanist, and Mr. Garling, of this place, in company with a cutter attached to the "Success" by the Governor, for the purpose of being employed in surveying the coast and to carry provisions to King George Sound, where an infant settlement has been formed, and which I shall speak of in the course of my letter. On the Friday following we parted company, finding she sailed so indifferently that we ran away from her under double-reefed topsails and top-gallant sails, while she had all sails crowded.
On Sunday we encountered a severe gale of wind, which, lasting only twenty hours, did us little or no injury, and from this time we had light winds, and nothing of any interest occurred till the 27th January, in the evening of which day we came to an anchor in the River Derwent, Hobart Town. The capital of Van Diemen's Land is situated about thirty miles from the entrance of this river, at the base of a lofty mountain. The next morning we weighed, and ran up to this town. The different views in passing up the river were most interesting. The little farms and fine ripe cornfields that adorned either side of this beautiful river reminded me strongly of England. The variety of tints the extensive forests afforded at that season of autumn, together with the romantic appearance of the
