182 PHILLIP The first flagstaff. A message from the sea. 1787-92 this as on other occasions he showed how warmly he seconded Phillip's efforts to gain the good-will of the natives, by treating them with kindness, especially when in distress. The first flag-staff and look-out station at the South Head were put up by Hunter at his own suggestion, at a time when every eye in the settlement was anxiously turned in that direction in the hope of seeing a ship from England with supplies. This was in January, 1790, when the provi- sions in the public store were not enough to last more than six months, even at half the usual allowance. We all looked forward with hope for arrivals with a relief ; and that every assistance necessary for strangers might be at hand, I offered, with a few men from the Sirius, to go down to the south head of the harbour, there to build a look-out house and erect a flag-staff upon the height, which might be seen from the sea ; and which might also communicate information of ships in the offing to the Governor at Sydney Cove. The Governor approved of my proposals. I went down with six men, and was accompanied by Mr. White and Mr. Worgan, the surgeons of the settlement and Sirius. We erected a flag-staff and lived in a tent for ten days, in which time we compleated a tolerably good house. At the end of ten days I was relieved by Mr. Bradley with a fresh party.* During Phillip's residence in the colony, Hunter made a voyage in the Sirius to the Cape of Good Hope to obtain further supplies of provisions; sailing in September, 1788, and returning in May of the following year. He concluded • Journal, p. 170. An interesting relic of the Sirius may be seen at the EHectric Lighthouse near Watson's Bay, in the shape of an old iron nine- pounder mounted on a carriage, with the following inscription engraved on a copper plate affixed to the breech : — "This gun, which formed a portion of the armament of H.M.S. Sirius, the first man-of-war that entered Port Jackson, was landed here shortly after the foundation of the colony for signalling arrivals, &c." How the gun came to be landed from the Sinus is told by Captain Hnnter (p. 89) :— ** In the month of September (1788), Governor Phillip signified to me that it was his intention very soon to despatch the Sirius to the Cape of Good Hope in order to purchase such quantity of provisions as she might be capable of taking on board ; and that she might be made as light as possible for that purpose, he desired that I would land eight or ten of her guns and carriages, with any other articles which I judg^ed the ship could spare for the time she might be absent, and which might answer the purpose of lightening the ship and the making of room. In consequence of this order, Voynge to the Otpe. Digitized by Google
