Newsflash:

We’re open every day except Good Friday, 29 March. View our Easter opening hours here ›

Collection 06 vol. 1: Philip Gidley King - Private journal, in two volumes, 1786-1792. Vol. 1 titled: `Remarks & Journal kept on the Expedition to form a Colony in His Majestys Territory of New South Wales ...is Majesty's Ship Sirius ...', 24 October 178624 October 1786 - 12 January 1789

by Philip Gidley King
Transcript: 

…the 24 in the morning two Strange Ships were discover'd to ye Southward of Cape Solander & we soon after discover'd that they were French one of which wore a Chef d'escadres pennant from which we conclude them to be La Boussole & 1'Astrolabe under ye orders of Monsieur De la perouse on discoveries, but the Wind blowing strong from NNE prevented their getting in, or our going out at four in ye Afternoon they were out of sight & at day light on ye 25 we weighed in the Supply having received a Company of Marines & 40 Convicts onboard, The wind blew so strong from ye SSE that we were obliged to anchor & wait for the Ebb tide & at Noon we weighed & turned out of the harbour In running a long shore we observed a number of steep Rocky clifts & after having run about 3 Leagues we were abreast of some high sand Clifts at the Northern extremity of which the Land of ye Entrance of Port Jackson commences & the entrance is soon discoverd lying between two steep bluff heads, there is no danger in entering the harbour but what is vislble, & when within the heads a rock lies in the