ment, without spending time in search of a more desirable situation.
Various reasons, which it is now needless to mention, have been assigned for this supposed precipitancy. Suffice it to say, the settlement was formed on the 18th of June, and named, in honour of the day. Fort Wellington.
Having been favoured, by the courtesy of the Colonial Government, with an inspection of all the official documents, relative to Melville Island and Raffles Bay, I have availed myself of this privilege on several occasions, and am thereby enabled to present the reader with the following extracts from the diary of Captain Smyth, the first Commandant of Raffles Bay; and, as they afford a concise account of events which occurred in the formation of the settlement, they will, I have no doubt, be considered very interesting.
"Sunday, June 17th, 1827.—Came to anchor in Raffles Bay, at eleven, A. M., three and a half fathoms water, about a mile from the shore. Surveyed by Captain Stirling, and selected by him as the fittest situation on which to found the new settlement, on the north-east side of the bay.
"The bay appears capable of sheltering any number of vessels, but the water is shoal for a mile from the shore; even small boats cannot get in at low water, except at one point, about three quarters of a mile from the camp, to the N.N.W."
"Monday, June 18th.—Early this morning, sent parties on shore, protected, with tents, &c., which were immediately fixed, at four,
