A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson
W >> Watkin Tench >> A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson
On the following day (November 11th) the 'Mary Anne', Captain Munro,
another of the whalers, returned into port, after having been out sixteen
days. She had gone as far south as 41 degrees but saw not a whale, and had
met with tremendously bad weather, in which she had shipped a sea that had
set her boiling coppers afloat and had nearly carried them overboard.
November 22d. The 'William and Anne', Captain Buncker, returned after
having been more than three weeks out, and putting into Broken Bay. This is
the ship that had killed the fish in which Melville shared. Buncker had met
with no farther success, owing, he said, entirely, to gales of wind; for
he had seen several immense shoals and was of opinion that he should have
secured fifty tons of oil, had the weather been tolerably moderate. I asked
him whether he thought the whales he had seen were fish of passage. "No,"
he answered, "they were going on every point of the compass, and were
evidently on feeding ground, which I saw no reason to doubt that they
frequent." Melville afterwards confirmed to me this observation. December
3rd, the 'Mary Anne' and 'Matilda' again returned. The former had gone to
the southward, and off Port Jervis had fallen in with two shoals of whales,
nine of which were killed, but owing to bad weather, part of five only were
got on board. As much, the master computed, as would yield thirty barrels
of oil. He said the whales were the least shy of any he had ever seen, "not
having been cut up". The latter had gone to the northward, and had seen no
whales but a few fin-backs.
On the 5th of December, both these ships sailed again; and on the 16th and
17th of the month (just before the author sailed for England) they and the
'Britannia' and 'William and Anne' returned to Port Jackson without success
having experienced a continuation of the bad weather and seen very few
fish. They all said that their intention was to give the coast one more
trial, and if it miscarried to quit it and steer to the northward in search
of less tempestuous seas.
The only remark which I have to offer to adventurers on the above subject,
is not to suffer discouragement by concluding that bad weather only is to
be found on the coast of New South Wales, where the whales have hitherto
been seen. Tempests happen sometimes there, as in other seas, but let them
feel assured that there are in every month of the year many days in which
the whale fishery may be safely carried on. The evidence of the abundance
in which spermaceti whales are sometimes seen is incontrovertible: that
which speaks to their being 'not fish of passage' is at least respectable
and hitherto uncontradicted. The prospect merits attention--may it
stimulate to enterprise.
The two discoveries of Port Jervis and Matilda Bay (which are to be found
in the foregoing sheets) may yet be wanting in the maps of the coast.
My account of their geographic situation, except possibly in the exact
longitude of the latter (a point not very material) may be safely depended
upon. A knowledge of Oyster Bay, discovered and laid down by the 'Mercury'
store-ship, in the year 1789, would also be desirable. But this I am
incapable of furnishing.
Here terminates my subject. Content with the humble province of detailing
facts and connecting events by undisturbed narration, I leave to others
the task of anticipating glorious, or gloomy, consequences, from
the establishment of a colony, which unquestionably demands serious
investigation, ere either its prosecution or abandonment be determined.
But doubtless not only those who planned, but those who have been delegated
to execute, an enterprise of such magnitude, have deeply revolved, that
"great national expense does not imply the necessity of national suffering.
While revenue is employed with success to some valuable end, the profits of
every adventure being more than sufficient to repay its costs, the public
should gain, and its resources should continue to multiply. But an expense
whether sustained at home or abroad; whether a waste of the present, or an
anticipation of the future, revenue, if it bring no adequate return, is to
be reckoned among the causes of national ruin."*
[*Ferguson's Essay on the History of Civil Society.]
A list of the Civil and Military Establishments in New South Wales
Governor and Commander in Chief, His Excellency Arthur Phillip, Esq.
Lieutenant Governor, Robert Ross, Esq.
Judge of the Admiralty Court, Robert Ross, Esq.
Chaplain of the Settlement, the Rev. Richard Johnson.
Judge Advocate of the Settlement, David Collins, Esq.
Secretary to the Governor, David Collins, Esq.
Surveyor General, Augustus Alt, Esq.
Commissary of Stores and Provisions, Andrew Miller, Esq.
Assistant Commissary, Mr. Zechariah Clarke.
Provost Martial, who acts as Sheriff of Cumberland County, Mr. Henry
Brewer.
Peace Officer, Mr. James Smith.
MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT.
His Majesty's Ship 'Sirius', John Hunter, Esq. Commander. Lieutenants,
Bradley, King, Maxwell.
His Majesty's armed Brig, 'Supply', Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball,
Commander.
FOUR COMPANIES OF MARINES
Major Robert Ross, Commandant.
CAPTAINS COMMANDING COMPANIES
James Campbell, John Shea, Captain Lieutenants, James Meredith, Watkin
Tench.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS
George Johnson, John Johnson, John Creswell, James Maltland Shairp, Robert
Nellow, Thomas Davey, James Furzer, Thomas Timins, John Poulden.
SECOND LIEUTENANTS
Ralph Clarke, John Long, William Dawes, William Feddy.
Adjutant, John Long.
Quarter Master, James Furzer.
Aide de Camp to the Governor, George Johnson.
Officer of Engineers and Artillery, William Dawes.
HOSPITAL ESTABLISHMENT.
Surgeon General of the Settlement, John White, Esq.
First Assistant, Mr. Dennis Considen.
Second Assistant, Mr. Thomas Arndell.
Third Assistant, Mr. William Balmain.