Before I take my final leave of this island, (where I remained two years) I cannot help acknowledging the great assistance I have received from the few officers I had with me; nor was this propriety of conduct confined to the officers alone, as all the marines and other free people were steady and regular in their behaviour; and it gives me a sensible satisfaction to remark, that, excepting on one or two occasions, I never had any reason to be dissatisfied with any of the few free persons I had under my command.

Exclusive of this general approbation of the good conduct of the free people, I must particularise Mr. Cresswell, the officer of marines; Mr. Stephen Dunavan, midshipman; and Mr. Thomas Jamieson, surgeon's mate, of the Sirius, I feel the greatest satisfaction in saying that a constant, uniform propriety of conduct, and a readiness in forwarding the service, were ever zealously shown by these gentlemen.

At noon on the 24th, the Supply made sail, and we arrived at Port Jackson on the 4th of April.

When I left Port Jackson in February, 1788, the ground about Sydney-Cove was covered with a thick forest, but on my arrival at this time, I found it cleared to a considerable distance, and some good buildings were erected. The governor, the lieutenant-governor, the judge-advocate, and the greatest part of the civil and military officers were comfortably lodged. The governor's house is built of stone, and has a very good appearance, being seventy feet in front. The lieutenant-governor's house is built of brick, as are also those belonging to the judge and the commissary: the rest of the houses are built with logs and plaistered; and all the roofs are either covered with shingles or thatched. The hospital is a good temporary building: the soldiers were in barracks, and the officers had comfortable huts, with gardens adjoining to them; but unfortunately, these gardens afford but little, as there is not more than two feet of soil over a bed of rocks, and this soil is little better than black sand; and to this inconvenience must be added, the depredations of rats and thieves.

At the distance of an hour's walk from Sydney-Cove, the soil is better in some places, and these are occupied by the officers and others, as their farms: there are also brick-kilns and a pottery, both which articles they make very well, but a great inconvenience arises in their not being able to glaze the earthenware.

From the little I saw of the soil about Sydney-Cove, I think it is very bad, most of the ground being covered with rocks, or large stones, which are used for building, and when cut, greatly resemble the Portland stone; they are easily worked, and harden very much after being wrought. A little below Sydney-Cove, there is another, called Farm-Cove, at the head of which there are about fifteen acres of ground in cultivation, but the soil is very indifferent.

Governor Phillip, it seems, had made several excursions, in order to inform himself more fully about the nature of the soil, and to find out a place more proper for cultivation, than the land about the lower part of the harbour; and, at length, had fixed on a situation at the head of it, about eleven miles from Sydney-Cove. The soil here was found to be much better than at Sydney-Cove, and a number of convicts were sent there in 1789, with a captain's guard, in order to prevent any disputes with the natives, and to preserve regularity amongst the convicts.

I accompanied Governor Phillip to this place, which is named Rose-Hill, on the 9th: we left Sydney-Cove at eight in the morning, and arrived at Rose-Hill before noon. About two miles below this settlement, the harbour becomes quite narrow, being not more than ten or twelve yards across, and the banks are about six feet high: here, the country has the appearance of a park. In rowing up this branch, we saw a flock of about thirty kangaroos or paderong, but they were only visible during their leaps, as the very long grass hid them from our view. We landed about half a mile from the settlement, and walked up to it.

This settlement is on an elevated ground, which joins to a fine crescent, as regular as if formed by art; it is probable that this crescent, and the regular slopes which surround the settlement, have been formed by very heavy rains. The soil is loam, sand, and clay: the trees are not so large here as lower down the harbour, but the large roots lying on the ground render it difficult to clear. A fine stream of fresh water runs into the head of the harbour, which, in the winter, and when heavy rains fall, sometimes rises seven or eight feet, and becomes a rapid torrent. A redoubt is constructed here, in which are very good barracks for officers and soldiers: there is likewise a store-house.

On the opposite side of the brook, there is a farm-house, where a servant of Governor Phillip's resides, who is charged with the superintendence of the convicts and the cultivation of the ground; to which charge he is very equal, and is of the greatest service to the governor, as he has no other free person whatever to overlook any piece of work carrying on by the convicts. Near to this farm-house, there is a very good barn and a granary. The convicts houses form a line at some distance, in front of the barracks, with very good gardens before and behind each house: indeed, the whole, joined to the pleasantness of the situation, makes it a beautiful landscape.

In 1789, the quantity of ground sown with wheat here, and at Sydney-Cove, was twenty-two acres; with barley, seventeen acres; flax, Indian corn, and beans, three acres. The quantity of wheat raised was two hundred bushels; of barley, sixty bushels; flax, beans, and other seeds, ten bushels: the wheat is a fine full grain. This year (1790) near one hundred acres will be cleared at Rose-Hill, of which forty are to be sown with wheat.

After dinner, I accompanied the governor from Rose-Hill to Prospect-Hill, which is about four miles distant: we walked through a very pleasant tract of country, which, from the distance the trees grew from each other, and the gentle hills and dales, and rising slopes covered with grass, appeared like a vast park. The soil from Rose-hill to Prospect-Hill is nearly alike, being a loam and clay. It is remarkable, that although the distance between these two places is only four miles, yet the natives divide it into eight different districts.

Prospect-Hill is a small elevation, which commands a very extensive prospect of the country to the southward: a range of very high mountains bound the view to the westward: these mountains, which lie nearly north and south, are about forty miles from Prospect-Hill; and the intervening country is a thick forest: the northernmost of these mountains is called Richmond-Hill, at the foot of which the Hawkesbury takes its rise from a bed of fresh water coal.

A river has been discovered by Captain Tench, of the marines, which runs near the foot of Lansdown-Hills; its direction appears to be north and south, but how far it runs to the southward cannot be ascertained, though there is great reason to suppose it runs a considerable way, as it does not empty itself into Botany-Bay, it therefore appears probable that it may come into the sea about Long-Nose, or Cape St. George, where there is an appearance of a good harbour.

There were at this time three of the natives who lived at Port Jackson, viz. a man about twenty-eight years old, a girl about thirteen, and a boy about nine years old. The man was taken by stratagem, by Lieutenant Bradley, who enticed him and another native to the boat by holding up a fish: they were both secured, a number of the natives being at the same time on the shore; these threw a number of spears, and although they are only made of wood, yet one of them went through four folds of the boat's sail, and struck the apron of the boat's stern with such violence as to split it. One of these natives made his escape presently afterwards, but the other grew reconciled to his situation, and lives with the governor: he is a very intelligent man, and much information may, no doubt, be procured from him, when he can be well understood. Mr. Collins, the judge-advocate, is very assiduous in learning the language, in which he has made a great progress.

This native has no less than five names, viz. "Bannelon, Wollewarre, Boinba, Bunde-bunda, Wogé trowey," but he likes best to be called by the second: he is a stout, well made man, about five feet six inches high, and now that the dirt is washed from his skin, we find his colour is a dark black: he is large featured, and has a flat nose; his hair is the same as the Asiatics, but very coarse and strong: he is very good-natured, being seldom angry at any jokes that may be passed upon him, and he readily imitates all the actions and gestures of every person in the governor's family; he sits at table with the governor, whom he calls "Beanga," or Father; and the governor calls him "Dooroow," or Son: he is under no restraint, nor is he the least aukward in eating; indeed, considering the state of nature which he has been brought up in, he may be called a polite man, as he performs every action of bowing, drinking healths, returning thanks, &c. with the most scrupulous attention. He is very fond of wine, but cannot bear the smell of spirits, although they have often tried to deceive him, by mixing very weak rum or brandy and water, instead of wine and water; but he would instantly find out the deception, and on these occasions he was angry: his appetite is very good, for he soon began to perceive the difference between a full and a short allowance.

He walks about constantly with the governor, who, to make him sensible of the confidence he placed in him, always took off a small sword which he usually wore, and gave it to Wolle-warrè, who put it on, and was not a little pleased at this mark of confidence. His dress is a jacket, made of the coarsest red kersey, and a pair of trowsers; but on Sundays, he is drest in nankeen. The governor's reason for making him wear the thick kersey is, that he may be so sensible of the cold as not to be able to go without cloaths.

Wolle-warre has had a wife, who, it seems, died a short time before he was taken: he sometimes mentions this circumstance, and it occasions a momentary gloom; but this his natural gaiety soon dissipates: he sings, when asked, but in general his songs are in a mournful strain, and he keeps time by swinging his arms: whenever asked to dance, he does it with great readiness; his motions at first are very slow, and are regulated by a dismal tune, which grows quicker as the dance advances, till at length he throws himself into the most violent posture, shaking his arms, and striking the ground with great force, which gives him the appearance of madness. It is very probable that this part of the dance is used as a sort of defiance, as all the natives which were seen when we first arrived at Port Jackson, always joined this sort of dance to their vociferations of "woroo, woroo," go away.

To what I have already said, respecting this man, a few more particulars will be added in the following vocabulary, which Mr. Collins permitted me to copy.

The native boy lived with Mr. White, the surgeon, who, with that humanity for which he is distinguished, cured both the boy and girl of a confluent small-pox, which swept off hundreds of the natives in the winter of 1788. This dreadful disorder, which, there is no doubt, is a distemper natural to the country, together with the difficulty of procuring a subsistance, renders the situtation of these poor wretches truly miserable.

The girl lived with the chaplain's wife, and both she and the boy were very tractable; but the girl at times would be out of temper, and could not bear to be thwarted.

I shall now add a vocabulary of the language, which I procured from Mr. Collins and Governor Phillip; both of whom had been very assiduous in procuring words to compose it; and as all the doubtful words are here rejected, it may be depended upon to be correct*.

[* This Vocabulary was much enlarged by Captain Hunter.]

Allocy, To stay.
Annegar, To ask any thing.
A-ra-goon, A war shield.
Ar-row-an, Distant, or far off.
Bòe, or Bo-y, Dead.
Bourbillie remul, Buried.
*Bado-burra, or Burra-bado, To pour water.
[* It should be observed, that in speaking, Wolle-warre frequently changes the position of his words, as in Bado-burra: so when walking one night from Prospect-Hill to Rose-Hill, we frequently stumbled against the roots, and he exclaimed "Wèrè Wadè, and Wadè Werè," bad wood, or bad roots.]
Bado-go-bally-vuida, I am dry, or I want water to drink.
Barong-boruch, A belly-full.
Boor emil diow, To put on.
Bo-me, To breathe.
Bo-gay, To dive.
Boorana, Yesterday.
Boora-Carremay, A fine day.
Beal, or Bidgeree, Good.
Byalla, To speak.
Bomar, A grave.
Bourra, A cloud, or the clouds.
Bengalle, Ornaments in general.
Barrong, The belly.
Booroow, The testicles.
Boon-abbiey, To kiss each other.
Berille, The finger
Bib-be, The ribs.
Boot Boot, The heart.
Bur-ra, A fish-book.
Bur-boga, To rise.
Bir-ra, The cheek.
Bin-ning, The leg.
Bin-yang, A bird.
Bee-an-bing, A quail.
Ba-ra-goo-la, The flood-tide.
Birrang, The stars.
Be-anga, A father.
Boon-ya, To kiss.
Ban-ga-ray, The red kanguroo.
Bo-ra-ya, To sing.
Bur-ra-doo, or Moona, A louse.
Ba-rin, An apron worn by young females.
Bin-ny, With young.
Bul-mie, To clap hands in dancing.
Ba-na-rang, The blood.
Barbuka, To get up.
Boming, A bird called the red-bill.
Bun-ya-dil, To singe the beard off.
Bolwara, To stare, or open the eyes.
Bur-ra-nè, To-morrow.
Baggy, The skin.
Boo-roo-an, An island.
Bò-ye, Death, or a ghost.
Cowull, The male of animals.
Car-re-nar-e-bille, To cough.
Cannadinga, To burn.
Can-no-can, Any vegetable fit to eat.
Cà-ma, To call.
Carre-mille-bado, To soak, or wash in water.
Coing-bibo-la, The sun-rise.
Coing-burra-go-lah, The sun-set.
Camurra, A day.
Chiang, or Chang-ulah, To chew.
Cot-ban-jow, Broken.
Cot-bàniè, or Cot-barry, To cut.
Carra-duin, A fishing-line.
Canno, A belly-full.
Caberra, The head.
Cad-lwar, or Col-liang, The neck.
Corungun, A nail.
Carra-mah, A gut.
Camye, A spear, or lance.
Ca-la-ra, A large fish-gig, with four prongs.
Ca-rall, The black cockatoo.
Ca-ra-ga-rang, The sea.
Ca-ra-goo-la, The cbb-tide.
Cow-ee, To come.
Can-ning, A cave in the rock.
Can, A snake, guana, or lizard.
Ca-la-ba-ran, A large sword, or scymetar.
Ca-ra-goon, A centipede.
Cud-yal, Smoak.
Ca-ban, An egg.
Cal-loo-a, To climb.
Cur-ra-yura, The sky.
Cot-ban-la, It is broke.
Cot-ban, To break.
Diera, A bone.
Din, and Din aillon, Women.
Derra-bangel-dion crelli bow, To take off, or imitate.
Dyennibbe, Laughter.
Dère-nignan, To sneeze.
Didgerry-goor, I thank you.
Didgerry goor Wogul Banne, I thank you for a bit.
Die, Here.
Diàm-o-wau, Where are you?
Dara, The teeth.
Diwarra, The hair.
Da-ma-na Beril, The hand and fingers.
Duralia, A hearn.
Doo-roy, The grass.
Doo-ra, A musquito.
Doo-ra-gy-a, To spit.
Door-a-lang, To prick.
Dir-gally, To scratch.
Dar-ra-Burra-Boorià, To pick the teeth.
Dooroow, A son.
Eo-ra, Men or People.
Era-mad-ye-winnia, To snatch.
Eranga, T'other side of the hill.
Eri, Full.
Elabi-la-bo, To make water.
E-roo-ka, To sweat.
E-li-mang, A small shield, made of bark.
Gall Gall, Small-pox.
Gnoowing, The night
Gna-oong, The nose ornament.
Gnia-na, To sigh.
Go-wally, A shag, or cormorant.
Goomun, The fir-tree.
Godie-by, Rotten, or decayed.
Go-roon, A muscle.
Gorey, Juice.
Gnia, I myself!
Ger-rub-ber, Any thing that gives fire, as a gun, &c.
Gorai, The ear.
Gor-rook, The knee.
Gading, The arm.
Gwo-meil, Feathers,
Gnal-loa, To sit.
Go-ril, A parrot.
Ga-ra-way, A white cockatoo.
Girra-girra, A fishing-gull.
Gwarra, The wind.
Gur-gy, The fern-root
Gon-yi, A house or hut.
Goor-ing, A female child.
Gwee-ang, Fire.
Gar-ree, To cough.
Go-mi-ra, A hole.
Goon-gan, A barbed spear, for close fighting.
Gur-go, A meteor, or shooting star.
Gong-ara, Ornamental scars on the body.
Gweè-rang, Ornaments made of reeds, and strung round the waist or neck.
Gna-ra, A knot in a line.
Goora, To drown.
Gu-na-murra, A stink, or bad smell.
Gitte-Gittim, To tickle.
Go-roo-da, To snore when asleep.
Ilga, To leap.
Jamel Jamel, A hawk.
Kalga, The mouth.
Kamai, A spear.
Kibba, A rock.
Ka-ra-ma, To steal.
Mogo, A stone hatchet.
Mulla, A man.
Moola, Sick, to vomit.
Maugerry, Fishing.
Murray, Every thing large.
Murray-nowey, The Sirius.
Murray-cara-diera, Swelled wrist.
Mediey, I do not know.
Maracry, or Mar-ry-ang, The emu.
Mullin-ow-ule, To-morrow morning.
Murray-yannadah, Full moon.
Marroway, To creep.
Manioo, To pick up any thing.
Morun-gle, Thunder.
Moor-rone, A large fly that bites.
Morungle-birrong mongle, Struck with thunder and lightning.
Murong, Sand.
Man-ye-ro, I do not know.
Mi, The eye.
Murray-can-na dinga mi, The effect of the hot burning sun on the eye.
Menoe, The foot.
Me-noe-wa, The feet.
Moo-tang, A small fiz-gig.
Mur-tin, Milk.
Med-yanq, A sore.
Ma-gra, Fish.
Mang-a, Lightning.
My-ang-a, A fly.
Mong, An ant.
Man-a-ro, The navel.
Moo-tang, Living.
Me-gal, Tears.
Ma-na-ran, The teeth of the kanguroo stuck in the head with gum as an ornament.
Mawn, A ghost or apparition.
Moono, The bill of a bird.
Mo-ro, A path or road.
Min-ney, To scrape.
Myi-mogro, To shut the eyes.
Maur, To take hold.
Narrong, Any thing small.
Nowey, A canoe.
Narrong nowey, The Supply.
Narra-dew, To hear.
Noone, Now.
Nogur, The nose.
Naga, The liver.
Nar-ra-mee, A net.
Nan-ga-ra, To sleep.
Nabanq, Womens breasts
Nul-la, The forehead.
Na-ro-wang, A paddle.
Nang-oon, A bone or piece of wood thrust through the septum of the nose.
Nam-mel, A sinker for a fish-line.
Narri-keebu, Stand on the rock.
Oôna, The elbow.
Pyalla-pya-bow, To fight or beat.
Pan-nie-jeminga, To give one the hand.
Patanga, An oyster.
Paddewah, A fish called a flat-head.
Parry-buga, To-morrow.
Paran-banie-diow, Eating (the act of).
Pa-boo-nang, A black ant.
Parra-berry, Empty.
Par-rangle, The throat.
Pan-ne-ra, The blood.
Pow-book, An owl.
Pan-na, Rain.
Pa-ta-ga-rang, The large grey kanguroo.
Pil-lia, To laugh.
Pe-mall, Earth or clay.
Po-cul-bee, The flag or iris of this country.
Teura, A musquito.
Teura-dieny, Musquito bite.
Tag-go-rah-yago, To shiver.
Taboa-millie, Painted white.
Tonga-doro, You must say.
Talling, or Ta-lang, The tongue.
Tamira, The hand.
Tarra, The leg.
Tarong, The shoulder.
Troo-gad-ya, A large gull.
Ta-ga-ra, Cold.
Tingo, A dog.
Tonga, To weep.
Tang o-ra, To dance.
Te-re-nang, To sneeze.
Ta-ra, Teeth.
Ter-ra-wan-a, A magpie.
Ta-lang-a, To yawn.
Ter-ral, Feathers used as an ornament for the head.
Taman, A berry.
Toon, The tail of a bird, or any animal.
Tan-naing, Mine. (My property.)
Ury-diow, To sit nearer any one.
Wering, Female.
Womerraa, To run.
Womerra-berra, To jump.
Wèrè, Bad.
Wadby, To swim.
Warre-wee, To stand.
Wanne-bow, To throw away.
Waltegal, A large fish.
Woolamie, A fish called a light-horseman.
Waré, Where.
Wogan-minnering, Cutting off.
Womar, A throwing-stick.
Wea-ja-minga, Wea-jow-inia. Wianga, Relating to the giving of any thing.
Wal-lu-merun-wea, Will you have any more?
Walloo-bu-diown, To turn when walking.
Woroo-woroo! Go away, or an exclamation of defiance.
Willin, The lips.
Wallo, The chin.
Woo-da, A club.
Wee-de, To drink or suck.
Wan-aree, The eyebrow.
Wee-lang, Lips.
War-ra, The breast of a man.
Wa-gan, A crow.
Wir-gan, A bird called fryar.
Wad-dy, A stick or tree.
Wong-ara, A male child.
Wy-anga, A mother.
Wo-la-ba, A young kanguroo.
Waregal, A large dog.
Wy-a-jenuriga, Give me.
Wur-ra, A rat.
Wil-bing, To fly, or the wing of a bird.
Wa-ra-bee, A cockel.
Worgye, To whistle.
Wya-bo-in-ya, Take this.
We-ring, The female of animals.
Wa, Where.
Wong-ara jug-ga-me, A child carried on the shoulder.
Yenu, Yenmow, Yenminia, Yen, The termination of the verb--to walk.
Yu-ru-gurra, Hungry.
Yenna, Gone.
Yennibun, Walking away.
Yagoona, To-day.
Yannadah paragi, New moon.
Yery, or Curna, To throw.
Yery-dioma, To fall down.
Ya-ban, To sing.
Yarre, or Yerring, A beard.
Yer-ra, A sword.
Yen-our-yenna, Go away.
Yo-ra, A number of people.
Goang-un, A spear about eight feet long, with four barbs on each side.--The natives make use of this spear when they advance near their adversary, and the thrust, or rather the stroke, is made at the side, as they raise the spear up, and have a shield in the left-hand. A wound from this spear must be mortal.

The only colours we have as yet discovered they have any knowledge of, are--Red, Morjal; White, Taboa; Black, Nand; Green, Boolga.

The females of each tribe are distinguished by the word "Leon," added to the name which distinguishes the chief: it is supposed that the word "Gal," signifies tribe, and the word preceding it is the word of distinction; probably, it is the place where the tribe resides.

The following instances may serve to confirm these suppositions.

We have every reason to believe, that the natives are divided into tribes, and that the persons belonging to each tribe derive their name from the chief. We have heard much of Camme-ro-gal, who lives in the interior part of the country, and is a great warrior. Wolare-warrè must have had some severe conflicts with this chief, as he showed several scars which proceeded from wounds that he had received from him.

The tribe of Camerra inhabit the north side of Port Jackson. The tribe of Cadi inhabit the south side, extending from the south head to Long-Cove; at which place the district of Wanne, and the tribe of Wangal, commences, extending as far as Par-ra-mata, or Rose-Hill. The tribe of Wallumede inhabit the north shore opposite Warrane, or Sydney-Cove, and are called Walumetta. I have already observed, that the space between Rose-Hill and Prospect-Hill is distinguished by eight different names, although the distance is only four miles.

Wolare-warrè has given us to understand, that there are apparitions in the country which he calls "Manè:" he describes them as coming up with a strange noise, and catching hold of any one by the throat: he made use of many words on this occasion, and pointed up to the sky: he also informed us, that these apparitions singe the beards and the hair: this, he describes as a very painful operation, rubbing his face after every application of the brand.

They put their dead, for some time, in a fire, after which they are laid at length in a grave, dug very clean out, the bottom being first very carefully covered with long grass, or fern; the body is then put in, and covered over with long grass, and the grave is then filled with earth, the mould rising above it as in England.

No signs of any religion have been observed among them, yet they are not entirely ignorant of a future state, as they say the bones of the dead are in the grave, and the body is in the clouds; or, as those we have had with us may have been misunderstood, they probably mean that the soul is in the clouds: Wolare-warrè once asked the judge-advocate, if the white men went to the clouds also. The sun, moon, and stars, they call Werè (bad): the native girl once went into very violent convulsions on seeing a falling star, and said that every body would be destroyed, although some who were about her observed, that she particularly alluded to the "Murray nowey," the Sirius.

The Emu, (Maroang) the Patagorang, and the Menagine, (a small animal) are all named "Goa-long," which term is supposed to mean an animal, as Wolarewarrè uses it in contradistinction to a bird or a fish: on being asked, if the Emu was a bird, (Binyan) he shook his head, and said, "Goa-long." He calls Governor Phillip, Beanga (father); and names himself, Dooroow (son): the judge and commissary he calls Babunna (brother). He sings a great deal, and with much variety: the following are some words which were caught--"E eye at wangewah-wandeliah chiango wandego mangenny wakey angoul barre boa lah barrema." He throws the spear ninety yards with great force and exactness. In counting the numerals, he cannot reckon beyond four; viz. One, Wogul, or Ya-ole; Two, Bulla and Yablowxe; Three, Boorooi, or Brewè; Four, Cal-una-long. On laying down a fifth object, he named it with the rest, "Marry-diolo." He calls the four principal winds by the following names:--The North, Boo-roo-way; The South, Bain-marree; The West, Bow-wan; The East, Gonie-mah.

The natives sing an hymn or song of joy, from day-break until sunrise. They procure fire with infinite labour, by fixing the pointed end of a round piece of stick into a hole made in a flat piece of wood, and twirling it round swiftly betwixt both hands, sliding them at the same time upwards and downwards until the operator is fatigued, when he is relieved by some of his companions, who are all seated in a circle for that purpose, and each takes his turn in the operation until fire is procured: this being the process, it is no wonder that they are never seen without a piece of lighted wood in their hand.