R.N., which had sailed from England on May 13th, 1787, arrived in that bay on Jan. 18th, 1788, but immediately moved into Port Jackson, where the settlement of Sydney was formed.
The early history of the Colony was one of struggle and starvation, and it was many years before any prosperity was attained. In 1839 the deportation of convicts ceased, but it was not until 1851, when gold was found, that free settlers in any large number came to the Colony.
Queensland, formerly the northern part of New South Wales, was formed a separate Colony in 1859.
A white population of about 1,500,000 now inhabits the eastern part of Australia, first explored by Cook, and their numbers are rapidly increasing.
Although the products of the Colonies are mainly agricultural and mineral, a very large proportion of this population are in the large towns.
Sydney contains 230,000, Newcastle 20,000, Brisbane 55,000, Rockhampton 13,000.
Wool, one of the staple products, is obtained from some 80,000,000 sheep, which, as Cook foresaw, have thriven well; and with 8,000,000 head of cattle supply another export in the shape of frozen meat. Coal and other minerals employ a large number of people, and the total value of exports amounts to about £24,000,000.
The uninhabited shores and untracked seas of Cook's time, only 120 years ago, are thus now teeming with life and trade; and it is no wonder that the name of the great explorer is more venerated, and the memory of his deeds is more fresh, in the Colonies than in the Mother country that sent him forth to find new fields for British enterprise.
