The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay | Page 2

little time for active adventures, or for
gainful prizes, being appointed to the Europe of sixty-four guns, on the
23d of December, 1781. During the memorable year 1782, Phillip
promoted its enterprises, and shared in its glories. And in January, 1783,
he sailed with a reinforcement to the East Indies, where superior
bravery contended against superior force, till the policy of our
negotiators put an end to unequal hostilities by a necessary peace.
The activity, or the zeal of Phillip, was now turned to more peaceful
objects. And when it was determined to form a settlement on that part
of New Holland, denominated New South Wales, he was thought of as
a proper officer to conduct an enterprize, which required professional
knowledge, and habitual prudence. His equipment, his voyage, and his
settlement, in the other hemisphere, will be found in the following
volume. When the time shall arrive that the European settlers on
Sydney Cove demand their historian, these authentic anecdotes of their
pristine legislator will be sought for as curious, and considered as

important.
ERRATA (These have been corrected in this eBook) Page, line 1, 15,
for enterprizes, read enterprises. 13, penult. for only fifty, read an
hundred. Ibid. ult. for Penryn, read Penrhyn. 75, 7, for Surprize, read
Surprise. 87, 14, after 17, dele th. 96, 13, for into, read in. 149, 10, for
Kangooroo, read Kanguroo. The orthography of a word derived only
from oral sound is in some degree arbitrary; but it ought to be
consistant. The plates, by mistake, have Kangooroo. 185, 14, for it
were were, read if it were. 203, 3, for Fobn, read Thomas. 213, 10, for
four, read forty. 228, 23, bis, for Macauley, read Macaulay. 231, 15, for
Patri, read Pabi. 252, Margin, for May, read June. 253, Ditto. 255,
Margin, for July, read June. 256, Ditto. 232, 18, for Taha, read Toha.
242, 9, for who, read whom. 246, 25, for veer'd, read near'd.
N. B. Some of the early impressions of the plates have erroneously
Wulpine Oppossum for Vulpine Opossum. After a few were work'd off
the fault was perceived, and corrected.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The arrangement of materials in this volume being in some respects
less perfect than might be wished, it is necessary that something should
be said to obviate any imputation of negligence. The truth will be the
best, and, as it ought, the only apology. The official papers of Governor
Phillip, which were liberally communicated by Government, formed at
first our principal source of intelligence. These, from their nature, could
contain but little information on subjects of natural history, and many
other points, concerning which the curiosity of every reader would
naturally be excited. The efforts of the publisher to give satisfaction to
the public in these respects produced a gradual influx of materials; and
the successive arrival of different vessels from the Indian seas,
occasioned additions to the work, which made it necessary to engrave
new plates. While, therefore, the completion of the book was anxiously
pressed by many who were eager to possess it, that desirable point has
constantly been deferred by the communications of those who were
studious to render it more valuable; and the word Finis, has seemed to
fly from us, like Italy before the wandering Trojans. From the
combination of these circumstances it has arisen, that every separate
part has been hurried on in the execution; and yet, in the finishing of
the whole, more time has elapsed, than would have been necessary to

complete a much more ample volume. The defects that proceed from
these causes, it is hoped, the reader will forgive, and accept with
complacency a volume in which, it is confidently hoped, nothing
material has been omitted that is connected with its principal object, the
formation of a settlement promising both glory and advantage to this
country; in which several important discoveries are announced; no
small accession is made to the stores of natural history; and interesting
notices are communicated of countries visited before, and persons in
whose fate the public has long felt an interest.
The publisher thinks it his duty, in this place, to return thanks to the
following noblemen and gentlemen, for their kind assistance and free
communications. The Marquis of Salisbury, Viscount Sydney, Lord
Hood, Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. Mr. Rose, Mr. Nepean, Mr. Stephens,
Sir Charles Middleton, Sir Andrew Snape Hammond, Mr. Dalrymple,
and Mr. Chalmers: but, to Mr. Latham particularly, the most grateful
acknowledgements are due, for having furnished many drawings and
accurate descriptions, which stamp a value on the natural history
contained in this work, and must for ever render it an object of attention
to all lovers of that science: and to Lieutenant Shortland, Lieutenant
Watts, and Captain Marshall, of the Scarborough transport, the public
owe whatever important discoveries and