officers and crew of the Harcourt East-Indiaman, which ship had been
wrecked on one of the Cape de Verd Islands. The master, who appeared
to be a man of some information, on being told the destination of our
fleet, gave it as his opinion, that if a reception could be secured,
emigrations would take place to New South Wales, not only from the old
continent, but the new one, where the spirit of adventure and thirst for
novelty were excessive.




CHAPTER VII.



The Passage from the Cape of Good Hope to Botany Bay.


We had hardly cleared the land when a south-east wind set in, and,
except at short intervals, continued to blow until the 19th of the
month; when we were in the latitude of 37 deg 40 min south, and by the
time-keeper, in longitude 11 deg 30 min east, so that our distance from
Botany Bay had increased nearly an hundred leagues since leaving the
Cape. As no appearance of a change in our favour seemed likely to take
place, Governor Phillip at this time signified his intention of shifting
his pennant from the Sirius to the 'Supply', and proceeding on his
voyage without waiting for the rest of the fleet, which was formed in
two divisions. The first consisting of three transports, known to be the
best sailors, was put under the command of a Lieutenant of the navy;
and the remaining three, with the victuallers, left in charge of Captain