at a very small expense quays may be
made at which the largest ships may unload.

This cove, which I honoured with the name of Sydney, is about a quarter
of a mile across at the entrance and half-a-mile in length.

We returned to Botany Bay the third day, where I received a very
unfavourable account of the ground that was clearing.

The ships immediately prepared to go round, and the 25th--seven days
after I arrived in the _Supply_--I sailed in her for Port Jackson,
leaving Captain Hunter to follow with the transports, it then blowing
too strong for them to work out of the bay. They joined me the next
evening, and all the transports were moored in the cove.

Two sail had appeared off Botany Bay the 24th, under French colours, and
anchored there before the _Sirius_ left it--the _Boussole_ and the
_Astrolabe_. These ships were commanded by Monsieur La Perouse, who
having expressed a desire of sending letters to Europe, I sent an
officer over, it being only eight miles, to tell him in what time it was
probable the ships might sail.

The clearing the ground for the people and for erecting storehouses was
begun as soon as the ships got round, a labour of which it will be
hardly possible to give your Lordship a just idea.

The necks of land that form the different coves, and near the water for
some distance, are in general so rocky that it is surprising that such
large trees should find sufficient nourishment, but the soil between the
rocks is good, and the summits of the rocks, as well as the whole
country round us, with few exceptions, are covered with trees, most of
which are so large that the removing them off the ground after they are
cut down is the greatest part of the labour; and the convicts, naturally
indolent, having none to attend them but overseers drawn from amongst
themselves, and who fear to exert any authority, makes this work go on
very slowly.

As there are only twelve convicts who are carpenters, as many as could
be procured from the ships have been hired to work on the hospital and
storehouses. 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 to fall very heavy, and pointed the necessity
of hutting the people; convicts were therefore appointed to assist the