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guerre”, an old French song, to the same air as “We won’t go home till morning”.’ Sydney’s First Four Years , 97.

9
    The taking possession of Port Jackson, with the disembarkation of the marines and convicts
    O UR passage to Port Jackson took up but few hours and those were spent far from unpleasantly. The evening was bright and the prospect before us such as might justify sanguine expectation. Having passed between the capes which form its entrance, we found ourselves in a port superior in extent and excellency to all we had seen before. We continued to run up the harbour about four miles in a westerly direction, enjoying the luxuriant prospect of its shores covered with trees to the water’s edge, among which many of the Indians were frequently seen, till we arrived at a small snug cove on the southern side, on whose banks the plan of our operations was destined to commence.
    The landing of a part of the marines and convicts took place the next day, and on the following the remainder was disembarked. Business now sat on every brow and the scene, to an indifferent spectator at leisure to contemplate it, would have been highly picturesque and amusing. In one place a party cutting down the woods; a second setting up a blacksmith’s forge, a third dragging along a load of stones or provisions; here an officer pitching his marquee, with a detachment of troops parading on one side of him, and a cook’s fire blazing up on the other. Through the unwearied diligence of those at the head of the different departments, regularity was, however, soon introduced and, as far as the unsettled state of matters would allow, confusion gave place to system.
    Into the head of the cove on which our establishment is fixed runs a small stream of fresh water, which serves to divide the adjacent country to a little distance in the direction of north and south. On the eastern side of this rivulet the governor fixed his place of residence with a large body of convicts encamped near him, and on the western side was disposed the remaining part of these people, near the marine encampment. From this last, two guards, consisting of two subalterns, as many sergeants, four corporals, two drummers and forty-two private men, under the orders of a captain of the day (to whom all reports were made) daily mounted for the public security, with such directions to use force, in case of necessity, as left no room for those who were the object of the order but to remain peaceable or perish by the bayonet.
    As the straggling of the convicts was not only a desertion from the public labour, but might be attended with ill consequences to the settlement in case of their meeting the natives, every care was taken to prevent it. The provost-martial with his men was ordered to patrol the country around, and the convicts informed that the severest punishment would be inflicted on transgressors. In spite, however, of all our precautions, they soon found the road to Botany Bay, in visits to the French, who would gladly have dispensed with their company.
    But as severity alone was known to be inadequate at once to chastise and reform, no opportunity was omitted to assure the convicts that by their good behaviour and submissive deportment every claim to present distinction and future favour was to be earned. That this caution was not attended with all the good effects which were hoped from it I have only to lament. That it operated in some cases is indisputable; nor will a candid and humane mind fail to consider and allow for the situation these unfortunate beings so peculiarly stood in. While they were on board ship the two sexes had been kept most rigorously apart, but when landed their separation became impracticable, and would have been, perhaps, wrong. Licentiousness was the unavoidable consequence, and their old habits of depravity were beginning to recur. What was to be attempted? To prevent their intercourse was impossible, and to