d. But, certainly, if the qualities of it be such as to deserve future
cultivation, no impediment of surface, but that of cutting down and burning
the trees, exists, to prevent its being tilled.

To this river the governor gave the name of Nepean. The distance of the
part of the river which we first hit upon from the sea coast, is about 39
miles, in a direct line almost due west.

A survey of Botany Bay took place in September. I was of the party, with
several others officers. We continued nine days in the bay, during which
time, the relative position of every part of it, to the extent of more than
thirty miles, following the windings of the shore, was ascertained, and
laid down on paper, by captain Hunter.

So complete an opportunity of forming a judgment, enables me to speak
decisively of a place, which has often engaged conversation and excited
reflection. Variety of opinions here disappeared. I shall, therefore,
transcribe literally what I wrote in my journal, on my return from the
expedition. "We were unanimously of opinion, that had not the nautical part
of Mr. Cook's description, in which we include the latitude and longitude
of the bay, been so accurately laid down, there would exist the utmost
reason to believe, that those who have described the contiguous country,
had never seen it. On the sides of the harbour, a line of sea coast
more than thirty miles long, we did not find 200 acres which could be
cultivated."

September, 1789. But all our attention was not directed to explore inlets,
and toll for discovery. Our internal tranquillity was still more important.
To repress the inroads of depredation; and to secure to honest industry the
reward of its labour, had become matter of the most serious consideration;
hardly a night passing without the commission of robbery. Many expedients
were devised; and the governor at length determined to select from the
convicts, a certain number of persons, who were meant to be of the fairest
character, for the purpose of being formed into a nightly-watch, for
the preservation of public and private property, under the following
regulations, which, as the first system of police in a colony, so
peculiarly constituted as ours, may perhaps prove not uninteresting.

I. A night-watch, consisting of 12 persons, divided into four parties, is
appointed, and fully authorized to patrol at all hours in the night; and
to visit such places as may be deemed necessary, for the discovery o