ers
of Governor Bligh.

In 1807 and 1808 the little ship's Commanders appear to have often
changed, and her fortunes, like those of her officers, experienced a wave
of uncertainty during the stormy period which marked the rule of Governor
Bligh. Eventually by his orders the Lady Nelson was dismantled. It is
well-known that Governor Bligh was deposed and kept a prisoner in his own
house for twelve months by the officers of the New South Wales Corps.
During this time the colony was governed by three officers, Johnston,
Foveaux, and Paterson.

On the arrival of Major-General Macquarie from England to take over the
reins of Government, he caused inquiries to be made concerning the use of
the brig, to which Colonel Foveaux replied on January 10th, 1810, "I have
the honour to inform your Excellency that the Lady Nelson brig was sent
from England seven or eight years since by the Admiralty as an armed
tender to the ship of war on this station. On the departure of H.M.S.
Porpoise in March last, Commodore Bligh ordered her to be dismantled and
laid up in ordinary in the King's Yard. The Commodore gave her in charge
of Mr. Thomas Moore, the master builder, with directions to hand her over
to Colonel Paterson should he require her for the service of the colony.
Colonel Paterson applied for her immediately after the Porpoise sailed
hence, manned her with hired seamen, and she has since continued in the
employment of the Government for the use of these settlements."

From this time forward we hear of Governor Macquarie frequently taking
excursions in the Lady Nelson, and in October 1811, he, with Mrs.
Macquarie, proceeded in her to Van Diemen's Land, where he made an
extensive tour of inspection of the settlements, and every Governor in
turn seems to have used the brig for work of this character.

It is not easy to trace, subsequently, the doings of the Lady Nelson, and
presumably for a year or two she lay dismantled in Sydney Harbour, and
during that period is described as "nothing more or less than a Coal
Hulk."

By the Governor's orders, however, in 1819, when Captain Phillip King
left Sydney in the Mermaid to explore Torres Strait and the north coast
of Australia, the Lady Nelson was again made smart and trim and
accompanied the Mermaid as far as Port Macquarie. Lieutenant Oxley, R.N.,
sailed in the Lady Nelson, and after making a survey of the shores of the
port he returned in her to Port Jackson.

Until she set forth on