Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/152

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frieiidl}^ relations with the native race. His intention to 1 guard thera from wrong was made known to the government before ho left England. From Sydney he wrote (May 1788) : ' I ^'It was my determiimtion froui luy Hrst Iaii<liii^^ tliflt nothing less tban the most absolute necessity should ever make me tire on them, and thoiigh peraeveriiig in this resoUition has been at times rather difficult, I bavf hitherto beeo so fortunate thiit it has never been neeesaary. Monsieur I^ Perouae, while at Botany Bay, was not so fortunate ; he was obliged to fire on theni^ in consequence of which, with the l>ad behaviour of some of the transporta' boats and souie convicts, the natives have lately avoided ua, hut proper measures are taken to regain their confidence. * . . When 1 tirst landed in Botany Bay they appeared on the beach, and were | easily f>ersuaded to receive what was cttlered them ; and thoiiji^h they were armed, very readily returned the confidence I phiccd in them by goin^ to them alone and unarmed, most of theni laying <hivT;i their spears w*nen deaired^ and while the ships remained in Botany Bay no diaputea happened between onr people and the natives. . . . Wlieu I firat went in the boats to Port Jackson they appeared armed near the place at which we landed, and were very vociferous ; but — like the others -were easily persuaded to accept what w^aa ottered them, and I persuaded one man, ^ who appeared to be the chief or master, to go with nm to that part of the I beach where the people were Iwiling their meat. When he came near i the marines, who were drawn np near the place, and saw that by proceeding he shnuldr be separated from hta conipanioua, who remained with several of the officers at some distance, he stopped, and with ^i*c«^t J firnniesB seemed by words and actions to threaten them if they offered | to take any advanti^tje of his situation. He then went on with me to examine what was boiling in the pot, and expressed his admiration in a manner that made me believe he intendetl to profit from what he saw, and what I made him understand. . . . Their confidence and manly behaviour niade me give the name of Manly Cove to this place. . As their curiosity made them very troublesome when we wei'e . preparing our dinner, 1 made a circle roiind us. There w^aa little I difficulty in making them uuderatami that they were not to come within it, and they then sat dowi^ very (piiet, ... I have never been able to make theni eat with us, and when they left us they generally threw , away the bread and meat, but 11 sh they always accepted, antl would broil i and eat it." ' Even in this early despatch Phillip narrated much that he had learned about the customs of the natives, their carvings on the rocks, ^c. He wrote it under difficulties, and at difterent timen, apologizing for its imconnected nature, and said the ** situation does not Ocean, but he paused sufficiently to discover in 1791 and to name after the king '* one very excellent |M>rt"— King George's Sound. There he remained some days, Vancouver reporteil his discoveries to Phillip from Monterrey (near Nootka Sound) by the Dmdahu stores hip, under Lieutenant HauBOU; hut PhiU'tp hiul left New South Wales before the Diedaltit arrived there in