Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Thomas Townshend letter received from John Shortland, 19 August 1797
MLMSS 6702

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H.M. Ship Reliance Sydney Cove Agt. 19. 1797

My Lord
I received yours dated the 12 August last, in Answer to my Letter which your Lordship mentions receiving by the Young William Capt. Mortlock; for which I return you my sincere thanks: Since my letter by the Young William, I wrote you by the Britannia, Capt. Raven 1, at sea dated in Octr. 1796, & likewise by Governor King 2 after our arrival at Cape of Good Hope in January 1797. & again by the Britannia in March 1797 - in which letter I mentioned the route we were taking & likewise the Service we were performing; since which I shall give you a further account until our Arrival at Port Jackson 3, & any thing worth relating since that period.

After remaining at Table Bay Cape of Good Hope from the 16 January (on which day we there Anchor'd) until 11 April, (on which day we sail'd for Port Jackson) we there experienced a deal of blowing weather, & much difficulty in getting the Provisions we wanted for our Ship, as also any Refreshments for the Colony; & also, after the different articles were purchased much difficulty in getting Craft to Ship the Stores &c. At length we compleated the business, & received in the whole for the Colony &c. 40 Cows, 3 Bulls, 6 Cow Calves & 96 Sheep, from which number as before mention'd, we Landed (after the Animals being on Bd. 114 days) 30 Cows, 3 Bulls,

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Cow Calves, and 78 Sheep for Breeding, from the produce of the Latter we Landed 11 Lambs which nearly made up for the loss of ye Sheep; the Supply brought nearly the same number of Horned Cattle, but not near the quantity of Sheep; We brought also in the Two Ships 6 Mares & 2 Fillies. we had considering the time of the Year, of leaving the Cape, tolerable Weather, most of the Passage; but unfortunately in approaching the Island of St. Pauls, which is near mid way, we encountered a very severe & heavy Gale of Wind which continued for 24 Hours, blowing a mere Hurricane, in which Gale we lost some of our Sails & had our Jolly boat compleatly wash'd away from our Stern, to which place a Boat generally is now Hung, being in a situation, that if a Boat is wanted she is at hand in 2 Minutes to be lower'd into the Water. from the Heaviness of the Sea breaking on our Ship, particularly about the Stern, & our Ship being in a weak condition, occasioned our springing a leak, which gradually increas'd from 2 Inches per. Hour to 5 Inches, & sometimes more if it blew hard, & the Ship Labour'd much, which caused us to keep one Pump constantly going to keep her free, & which harrassed & fatigued our Men very much; nevertheless they continued very healthy & had in general but few Men in the Sick list.

When we arrived off the Coast of New South Wales, we experienced there, much blowing & disagreable Weather & had a long passage down the Coast to the Northward; On the 28 of June we arrived safe, & anchor'd in Sydney Cove; In which Cove we found the Supply, who, on account of her rotton situation & many applications from her Commander for permission to leave the Cape as early as possible, was permitted to leave that place 5 Weeks before us, we therefore sail'd single Ships.

The whole of the Stock landed from the two Ships, is as follows, 56 Cows, 3 Bulls, 7 Cow Calves, 107 Sheep (22 Lambs brought up on Board) 6 Mares & 2 Fillies; in perfect health,

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The day after our Arrival I learn't that the Supply, had, from her rotton condition been minutely Survey'd & Condemn'd, & render'd perfectly useless, & never fit ever again to sail from the Cove, I went on Board her, & I assure you I never saw so compleat a mass of dirt, it is really surprising how she reach'd this Port, they certainly were in a very critical situation off the Coast, they were under the necessity of nailing Tarr'd Canvas over her Bows, & used every effort to keep her above water, not that she made much water, but expected her top works wou'd part from the Bottom, from which precarious situation it required every attention in not carrying a press of Sail, so as to strain her, or make the Ship labour.

The Reliance is now preparing to heave down to secure the Leak; Our defects are numerous from the Weather we have encounter'd & from the Original weakness of the Ship, I cannot say positively when we shall be again at the Cape, as I am much afraid from the very few Shipwrights we have in the Colony it will take them a length of time to repair her.

I think that I mention'd in my Letter to your Lordship, that we unfortunately lost our long Boat & six of our best men on this Coast, it is surprising to say that Lieut. Kent 4 who from contrary winds put into Port Stevens 70 Miles to the North'd. of this place, & on walking over a neck of Land came to a Sandy beach opposite the Sea, & there found on the Sand the Fore Mast of our Launch with the Ships Name at full length on it, from its appearance it had been a length of time in the Water before it had been driven on this Beach, the Men therefore from every circumstance

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must have perish'd in the Water. We had some Idea at their first being miss'd that they had deserted with the Boat, but we are now perfectly satisfied it never cou'd have been there intentions so to do: every circumstance from the time of their being missed corroborating.

The Colony is thriving apace, we have now some thousands of Acres of ground clear'd & in Cultivation which yields well, Stock is now in abundance & will soon be very Cheap, Hogs now are put into the Public Stores at 9d. per Pound; Mutton I dare say will in a few Years be sold at 6d. per Pound; we have here every luxury of life & no fear of Starving as formerly; We have form'd a new Settlement about 5 Miles SW from Parramatta & is call'd Portland Place, fine rich Ground & pleasant Country; another Settlement will take place shortly, at George's River, which is at the Head of the SW Arm of Botany Bay and about 16 Miles from Sydney Cove, & not more than 6 or 7 Miles from Parramatta.

A Ship named the Sydney Cove coming from Bengal to this place, unfortunately off Schoutens Isd., wch [?] lays in 40°.37' S & on the East Side of New Holland 5, sprung a very serious leak & was Oblig'd to run the Ship on Shore to save the lives of the People & what part of the Cargo they possibly cou'd: A few days after they had been on the Island they fitted out their long Boat to send her to Port Jackson, but she unfortunately in a Gale was thrown on Shore upon the Coast, every person, 14 In Number got safe on shore, but only 2 out of the 14 reach'd Port Jackson a dis-

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distance of about 180 or 200 Miles, which those 2 persons walk'd unarm'd along the Sea Coast without anything to Eat except what dead fish they cou'd find on the Shore; when those 2 person were nearly exhausted, from the fatigue of their march & for want of nourishment, they very fortunately fell in with a fishing Boat, who was in a small Harbor to the Southward of Botany Bay, this Boat took them on Board & brought them to Sydney, one of the Persons saved was a Mr. Clark the Supercargo & a foremast Man, it was those persons who brought the intelligence of the loss of the Sydney Cove - the Governor from this information, order'd the Francis a small Colonial schooner to proceed to the Southd. & render what assistance he cou'd, another Long Boat which was fitted purposely to accompany the Francis, sail'd at the same time, they both arrived safe at the Wreck, took in the Captain some of the Company (what they cou'd stow) & other things which were saved from the Wreck; what became of the other 12 who landed with Mr. Clark are suppos'd either to have perish'd for want, or kill'd by the Natives; they dropp'd from Mr. Clark one, & two, at a time; not being able to keep up. Mr. C - himself was spear'd through both his hands by a number of Natives who surrounded him, but fortunately for him it being in the dusk of the Evening, he escaped them & fled into the woods.

The Francis Schooner arrived at this place in about 6 Week (which was the time she was absent) & brought with him, the Master of the Ship & 14 Lascars, the remainder of his Company being embark'd in the other Long Boat in which Boat Mr. Armstrong Master of the Supply went (a Volunteer) to

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save the People &c. the Evening there 2 Vessels left the Island for this Port it came on a heavy Gale which Oblig'd the Francis to Bring too, there rising too much Sea to run, they parted Company the same Night & it is generally thought Mr. Armstrong & his Boat foundered in the Gale, as it is now 6 Weeks since the Francis arrived and no news or tiding of the other Boat; this has been a very unfortunate Voyage for the Crew of the Sydney Cove, only 14 are now alive out of 64, out of which is the Capt., Supercargo, & another White Man, the other 11 are Lascars, every other officer belonging to her being either drowned, starved, or kill'd by the Natives.

I mention'd to Capt. Waterhouse 6 that you had sent Waine's Letter to his Father; & was pleas'd with the good character he had given of him, I must also add, that Waine still goes on very well, he is attentive to his duty & also very sober.

While writing this Letter, Mr. Bass 7 our Surgeon is just return'd from the Southward with information that he had discovered a deal of Coal; a deal of which he brought with him, he also says, that the Land about there, is entirely Coal, of 6 feet in depth, he also fell in with the Skeletons of the Mate & Carpenter of the late Sydney Cove, he was inform'd by the Natives about there that they were kill'd, by Black Men who lived further to the Southward; this Coal is about 30 or 40 Miles to the Southward of this Harbour. I shall be able in my next to give you a full & accurate account of this Coal Mine as an excursion to the Southd. is fix'd on by the Governor in a very short time, when that place will be particularly examined, until then we cannot pretend to say much on the subject.

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Our friend Bannalang is still with us, but very often runs into the Woods, he attends regularly the Battles of the Natives & very often takes a part himself, he has been once or twice slightly wounded. This Letter I send by the Britannia Capt. Dennett, who leaves this place to morrow, for China from thence to England with Teas; he brought to this place a Number of Convicts from Ireland.

Before I conclude permit me to make my best respects to Lady Sydney, I hope she is in perfect health as also your family. I hope also your Lordship enjoys good health, which is the sincere wish of My Lord, Your Lordships, much Obliged, & devoted Humble Servant Jno. Shortland. The Right Hon'ble. Lord Viscount Sydney. NB. This Letter I send by the Britannia, Mr. Dinnett Master, he is bound to China from this place; from thence to England, you will receive this Letter in about June or July 1798.

Notes

1. Raven, Wiliam (1756-1814), mariner and merchant, arrived in Sydney in 1792 as master and part owner of the Britannia. After making a number of trading voyages he returned to England in 1791

2. King, Philip Gidley (1758-1808), governor of New South Wales, 1800-1806.

3. The port of Sydney.

4. Kent, William (1751-1812), naval officer, arrived in Sydney in October 1802 in command of HMS Buffalo. He was employed by Governor King in survey work and transporting cattle to the colony.

5. The name given to the western half of Australia by Dutch explorers in the 17th century

6. Waterhouse, Henry (1770-1812), naval officer, came out to New South Wales in the First Fleet in 1788 and again in 1795 as second commander of the Reliance with Flinders and Bass. In 1800 he was promoted to captain but failed to rise any further in the navy.

7. Bass, George (1771-1803), naval surgeon, sailed to Sydney in 1795 with Flinders on the Reliance. Shortly after arriving he and Flinders made two hazardous voyages in open boats to explore the coast south of Sydney. In 1797 he discovered Western Port and deduced that there was a strait separating Tasmania from the mainland. This was confirmed in 1798-99 when he and Flinders circumnavigated Tasmania in the Norfolk. Bass disappeared in 1803 during a trading voyage to South America.