The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson | Page 3

is steep and covered with grass. It is the northernmost high land from Sydney to the Heads of Port Stephens from which it lies north-east 6 leagues. The intermediate space being a sandy beach. The tides both in the harbour and entrance runs very strong, and in some places not less than four miles an hour and sometimes from four to five. The ebb in general is much stronger than the flood: 9 3/4 hours in the harbour makes high water full and change, and rises six feet perpendicular where the Lady Nelson anchored, and four feet when she was higher up the river. In the harbour there is good shelter from all winds and plenty of room for more than 100 sail of shipping. There is plenty of water to be had on the north shore by digging a very little way down. There are three wells already dug, and the water is very good. On the south shore there are plenty of runs of fresh water.
For further information refer to Colonel Paterson and Lieutenant Grant's Narrative.
8. ROUTE OF H.M.A.S. VESSEL LADY NELSON ALONG THE COAST OF NEW SOUTH WALES ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY IN 1801, undertaken by Command of His Excellency Governor King. By Jno. Murray Acting Lieutenant and Commander.
Note the Coast is according to Captain Cook. Jarvis Bay was visited by ye Lady Nelson in March 1801. Twofold Bay is from Bass's track in the Whale Boat.
9. KENT'S GROUP. By John Murray.
10. KING ISLAND FROM JOHN MURRAY'S CHART.
11. CHART OF PORT PHILLIP SHOWING THE TRACK OF THE LADY NELSON'S BOAT IN 1802.
In this chart by Murray, sent to the Admiralty from Sydney by Governor King in 1802, few names appear, although Murray named Point Palmer, Point Paterson, and Point Nepean, and the fact that it bears the date January 1802 seems further evidence that it is the first chart of Port Philip drawn by its discoverer. It is one of those referred to as "unfortunately missing" in the Historical Records of New South Wales volume 4 page 764.
12. CHART OF BASS STRAIT, INCLUDING THE DISCOVERIES OF ACTING-LIEUTENANT JOHN MURRAY IN THE LADY NELSON, between November 1801 AND march 1802. By command of His Excellency Governor King. This chart, which bears Murray's autograph, shows his explorations of Western Port, Port Philip, and King Island. It should be noted that Flinders' Island is named Grand Capuchin. This is one of the charts referred to as "unfortunately missing" in the Historical Records of New South Wales volume 4 page 764.
13. TRACK OF THE LADY NELSON IN COMPANY WITH H.M.S. INVESTIGATOR ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY along the coast of New South Wales. By John Murray. This chart also bears Murray's signature, as well as the outward and return track of his ship.
14. CONTINUATION OF THE TRACK OF THE LADY NELSON IN JULY 1802.
15. SKETCH OF PORT NUMBER 1 (PORT CURTIS), FACEING ISLAND AND KEPPEL BAY. By John Murray, made on board H.M. armed surveying vessel Lady Nelson.
16. THE TRACK OF THE LADY NELSON TO PORT NUMBER 2. (PORT BOWEN). By John Murray.
This chart and the one in Illustration 15 differ in delineation from the rest of Murray's charts of his voyage northwards, and are beautifully drawn and coloured. Probably they were the work of Westall, the artist with Flinders, Murray merely adding to them his homeward track.
[Facsimile signature Jno Murray]
17. THE LADY NELSON'S ANCHORAGE AT HUNTER RIVER.
18. APPENDIX. H.M.S. BUFFALO, SHIP'S MUSTER.

THE LOGBOOKS OF THE LADY NELSON.

CHAPTER 1.
THE FIRST VOYAGE OF THE LADY NELSON.
The logbooks of the Lady Nelson bear witness to the leading part played by one small British ship in the discovery of a great continent. They show how closely, from the date of her first coming to Sydney in 1800 until her capture by pirates off the island of Baba in 1825, this little brig was identified with the colonisation and development of Australia.
In entering upon her eventful colonial career, "the Lady Nelson did that which alone ought to immortalize her name--she was the first ship that ever sailed parallel to the entire southern coast line of Australia."* (* Early History of Victoria by F.P. Labilliere.) She was also the first vessel to sail through Bass Strait. But discovery cannot claim her solely for itself. While she was stationed at Sydney there was scarcely a dependency of the mother colony that was not more or less indebted to her, either for proclaiming it a British possession, or for bringing it settlers and food, or for providing it with means of defence against the attacks of natives.
In the early history of Victoria the Lady Nelson occupies a niche somewhat similar to that which the Endeavour fills in the annals of New South Wales, but while Cook and the Endeavour discovered the east coast and then left it,