them covered their
tents with thatch, or erected for themselves temporary clay huts. The
barracks were begun early in March; but much difficulty was found in
providing proper materials, the timber being in general shakey and
rotten. They were to consist of four buildings, each building to be
sixty-seven feet by twenty-two, and to contain one company. They were
placed at a convenient distance asunder for the purpose of air and
cleanliness, and with a space in the centre for a parade.

On or about Monday the 10th of March, the French ships sailed from Botany
Bay, bound, as they said, to the northward, and carrying with them the
most unfavourable ideas of this country and its native inhabitants; the
officers having been heard to declare, that in their whole voyage they no
where found so poor a country, nor such wretched miserable people. During
their stay in Botany Bay, they set up the frames of two large boats which
they brought out from Europe, to replace those they lost at Maouna, and
on the north-west coast of America. We had, during their stay in this
country, a very friendly and pleasant intercourse with their officers,
among whom we observed men of abilities, whose observations, and
exertions in the search after knowledge, will most amply illustrate the
history of their voyage: and it reflected much credit on the minister
when he arranged the plan of it, that people of the first talents for
navigation, astronomy, natural history, and every other science that
could render it conspicuously useful, should have been selected for the
purpose.

We found after their departure the grave of the Abbe L. Receveur, who
died but a short time before they sailed: he was buried not very far from
the spot where their tents were erected, at the foot of a tree, on which
were nailed two pieces of board with the following inscription:

Hic jacet
L. Receveur
Ex F. F. Minoribus
Galliae Sacerdos
Physicus in Circumnavigatione Mundi
Duce D. de la Perouse
Obiit Die 17 Febr. Anno
1788.

Governor Phillip, on hearing that these boards had fallen down from the
tree, caused the inscription to be engraven on a plate of copper, which
was put up in place of the boards; but rain, and the oozing of gum from
the tree, soon rendered even that illegible.

We continued to be still busily employed; a wharf for the convenience of
landing stores was begun under the direction of the surveyor-general: the
ordnance, consisting of two brass six-pounders