Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/117

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PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS

SECTION IV.


EAST COAST, WITH VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.


PART II.

Preliminary Information. Boat Expeditions of Bass and Flinders. Clarke. Shortland. Discoveries of Bass to the southward of Port Jackson; of Flinders; and of Flinders and Bass. Examinations to the northward by Flinders. Conclusive Remarks.

Preliminary
Information.
The year 1788 will ever be a memorable epoch in the history of Terra Australis. On Jan. 18, captain (now vice-admiral) Arthur Philip arrived in Botany Bay, with His Majesty's brig Supply; and was followed by the Syrius, captain John Hunter, six sail of transports, and three store ships. The purpose of this armament was to establish a colony in New South Wales, over which extensive country captain Philip was appointed Governor and Captain-general. Botany Bay proved to be an unfavourable situation for the new colony; it was, therefore, abandoned in favour of Port Jackson, which lies three leagues to the northward, and was found to be one of the finest harbours in the world.

A history of this establishment at the extremity of the globe, in a country where the astonished settler sees nothing, not even the grass under his feet, which is not different to whatever had before met his eye, could not but present objects of great interest to the European reader; and the public curiosity has been gratified by the perusal of various respectable publications, wherein the proceedings of the