AND EXPLORATION. U5 country examined; but the result confirmed him in his 1783 first impression as to the impolicy of founding a settlement J^n®- in that direction. The next and perhaps the most important of Phillip's expeditions of discovery started from head-quarters on the 6th of June, 1789. Since his last visit to Broken Bay he Expedition in search of had been compelled to defer his projected excursions to the a "ver. north-west for several reasons. Not only had his health suffered from exposure, but the departure of the Sirius for the Cape of Good Hope in October of the previous year had deprived him of the society of Captain Hunter and his officers, as well as of the use of her boats and crew. The exploration of the large river of which he had been dream- ing ever since he had found himself in full view of the Blue Mountains would require their assistance, as it would be necessary to ascend the river from its mouth, to take Exploration . _ by Doats. soundings and measurements, and to examine the country as they went on. The return of the Sirius in May, 1789, enabled Phillip to carry out his intentions, and accordingly a large party was at once organised for the purpose. Two boats were sent on to Broken Bay with provisions, and in a third were Phillip, Captain Hunter and two of his - officers. Captain Collins the Judge- Advocate, Captain George John- ston of the marines — then aide-de-camp to the Governor, and afterwards a very conspicuous character in our history — and Surgeon White, " all armed with musquets, &ic" They landed "on the north part of Port Jackson ^^ — pro- bably at Manly Cove — and proceeded along the coast towards Broken Bay, crossing many long sandy beaches and strug- Natie gling through the bush on the hill-sides, occasionally meet- ing with a path " which the natives in travelling aloDg the coast had trod very well down/' These paths spared them a good deal of hard work in making their way through the rugged country in which they found themselves as soon as they began to face the hills.*
- Frequent reference is found in the Journals of subsequent explorers to
the native paths met with in the interior, and which frequently proved of Digitized by Google
