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situation and a boat was sent to them with a lieutenant of the navy in her to offer assistance and point out the necessary marks for entering the harbour. In the course of the day the officer returned and brought intelligence that the ships were the Boussole and Astrolabe , sent out by order of the King of France and under the command of Monsieur La Perouse. The astonishment of the French at seeing us had not equalled that we had experienced, for it appeared that in the course of their voyage they had touched at Kamchatka and by that means learnt that our expedition was in contemplation. They dropped anchor the next morning, just as we had got under weigh to work out of the bay, so that for the present nothing more than salutations could pass between us.
    Before I quit Botany Bay I shall relate the observations we were enabled to make during our short stay there, as well as those which our subsequent visits to it from Port Jackson enabled us to complete.
    The bay is very open and greatly exposed to the fury of the south-east winds, which when they blow cause a heavy and dangerous swell. It is of prodigious extent, the principal arm, which takes a south-westerly direction, being not less, including its windings, than twenty-four miles from the capes which form the entrance, according to the report of the French officers, who took uncommon pains to survey it. At the distance of a league from the harbour’s mouth is a bar, on which at low water not more than fifteen feet are to be found. Within this bar, for many miles up the south-west arm, is a haven, equal in every respect to any hitherto known and in which any number of ships might anchor, secured from all winds. The country around far exceeds in richness of soil that about Cape Banks and Point Solander, though unfortunately they resemble each other in one respect, a scarcity of fresh water.
    We found the natives tolerably numerous as we advanced up the river, and even at the harbour’s mouth we had reason to conclude the country more populous than Mr Cook thought it. For on the Supply’s arrival in the bay on the 18th of the month they were assembled on the beach of the south shore to the number of not less than forty persons, shouting and making many uncouth signs and gestures. This appearance whetted curiosity to its utmost, but as prudence forbade a few people to venture wantonly among so great a number, and a party of only six men was observed on the north shore, the governor immediately proceeded to land on that side in order to take possession of his new territory and bring about an intercourse between its old and new masters. The boat in which His Excellency was, rowed up the harbour close to the land for some distance, the Indians keeping pace with her on the beach. At last an officer in the boat made signs of a want of water, which it was judged would indicate his wish of landing. The natives directly comprehended what he wanted and pointed to a spot where water could be procured, on which the boat was immediately pushed in and a landing took place. As on the event of this meeting might depend so much of our future tranquillity, every delicacy on our side was requisite. The Indians, though timorous, showed no signs of resentment at the governor’s going on shore. An interview commenced, in which the conduct of both parties pleased each other so much that the strangers returned to their ships with a much better opinion of the natives than they had landed with; and the latter seemed highly entertained with their new acquaintance, from whom they condescended to accept of a looking-glass, some beads, and other toys.
    Owing to the lateness of our arrival, it was not my good fortune to go on shore until three days after this had happened, when I went with a party to the south side of the harbour and had scarcely landed five minutes when we were met by a dozen Indians, naked as at the moment of their birth, walking along the beach. Eager to come to a