take its course close round the south side of this hill.  Two gentlemen who were of this party having, at their setting out, proposed to walk from mount Taurus in as direct a line as the country would admit, to the seacoast, a whale boat was ordered to wait for them about five leagues to the southward of Botany Bay.  They expected to have reached the coast in one day, but they did not reckon on having full 25 miles of a rugged and mountainous road to cross.  Making their course a little to the southward of east, they fell in with the boat very conveniently, and Mr. Bass, one of the gentlemen, described their route to have laid, the greatest part of the way, over nothing but high and steep ridges of hills, the land becoming more rocky and barren as they drew near the sea coast.  In each of the valleys formed by these hills they found a run of fresh water, in some places of considerable depth and rapidity.  The direction of these streams or runs being to the northward, they were supposed to fall into a harbour which lay about five or six miles to the southward of Port Solander, and had obtained the name of Port Hacking, the pilot of that name having had the honour of the discovery.*

[* See the chart prefixed to this volume, where the route from Mount Taurus is laid down.]

A church clock having been brought to the settlement in the Reliance when that ship arrived from England, and no building fit for its reception having been since erected, preparations were now making for constructing a tower fit for the purpose; to which might be added a church, whenever at a future day the increase of labourers might enable the governor to direct such an edifice to be built.

One mill not being sufficient to grind the flour required by the inhabitants at Sydney, the stone masons were employed in breaking out and preparing stone for another at that place.

The blacksmith’s shop, begun in the last month, was nearly completed at the end of this.

The weather was observed to be growing warm.  Toward the middle of the month strong southerly winds, with rainy and unsettled weather, prevailed, particularly at the change of the moon.

CHAPTER VI

Another boat seized and carried off
Order in consequence
The criminal court thrice assembled
Particulars
Three men stand in the pillory
Perjury explained to the convicts
Natives very troublesome; seize a boat
Various works in hand
An attempt to seize another boat frustrated
Prospect of a fine harvest
Wilson gives himself up
Is made use of
Two mares stolen
The clergyman’s servant attempts to rob him
Information sent to India respecting the boats
An amphibious animal discovered
Description
Accident
Works
Police
Weather