One of the ships, King
records, "wore a CHEF D'ESCADRE'S pennant," that is, a commodore's.
This information satisfied Phillip, who was anxious to lose no time in
getting his people ashore at Sydney Cove. He, therefore, determined to
sail in the SUPPLY on the 25th, to make preliminary arrangements,
leaving Captain Hunter of the SIRIUS to convoy the Fleet round as soon
as possible. The wind, just then, was blowing too strong for them to
work out of the Bay.
Meanwhile, Laperouse, with the BOUSSOLE and the ASTROLABE, was meeting
with heavy weather in his attempt to double Point Solander. The
wind blew hard from that quarter, and his ships were too heavy sailers
to force their passage against wind and current combined. The whole of
the 24th was spent in full sight of Botany Bay, which they could not
enter. But their hearts were cheered by the spectacle of the pennants
and ensigns on the eleven British vessels, plainly seen at intervals
within, and the prospect of meeting Europeans again made them impatient
to fetch their anchorage.
The SIRIUS was just about to sail when the French vessels entered the
Bay at nine in the morning of January 26, but Captain Hunter
courteously sent over a lieutenant and midshipman, with his compliments
and offers of such assistance as it was in his power to give. "I
despatched an officer," records Laperouse, "to return my thanks to
Captain Hunter, who by this time had his anchor a-peak and his topsails
hoisted, telling him that my wants were confined to wood and water, of
which we could not fail in this Bay; and I was sensible that vessels
intended to settle a colony at such a distance from Europe could not be
of any assistance to navigators." The English lieutenant, according to
Laperouse, "appeared to make a great mystery of Commodore Phillip's
plan, and we did not take the liberty of putting any questions to him
on the subject." It was not the business of a junior officer to give
unauthorised information, but perhaps his manner made a greater mystery
of the Governor's plans than the circumstances required.
It was at Kamchatka that the French had learnt that the British
were establishing a settlement in New South Wales; but Laperouse, when
he arrived at Botany Bay, had no definite idea as to the progress they
had made. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson, he expected to find
a town built and a market established. Instead of that he found the
first colonists abandoning the site where it was originally intended
that they should settle, and preparing to fix their abode at another
spot. But after he had seen something of Botany Bay he expressed
himself as "convinced of the propriety and absolute necessity of the
measure."
The later relations between the English and French were of the most
pleasant kind. It does not appear from the writings of those who have
left records that Phillip and Laperouse ever met, or that the latter
ever saw the beginnings of Sydney. His ships certainly never entered
Port Jackson. But we learn from Captain Tench that "during their stay
in the port" (i.e. in Botany Bay) "the officers of the two nations had
frequent opportunities of testifying their mutual regard by visits and
other interchanges of friendship and esteem;" and Laperouse gratified
the English especially "by the feeling manner in which he always
mentioned the name and talents of Captain Cook."
Not only in what he wrote with an eye to publication, but in his
private correspondence, Laperouse expressed his gratification at the
friendly relations established. He spoke of "frequent intercourse"
with the English, and said that "to the most polite attentions
they have added every offer of service in their power; and it was not
without regret that we saw them depart, almost immediately upon our
arrival, for Port Jackson, fifteen miles to the northward of this
place. Commodore Phillip had good reason to prefer that port, and he
has left us sole masters of this bay, where our long-boats are already
on the stocks."
The fullest account is given in the journal of Lieutenant King,
afterwards (1800-6) Governor of New South Wales. On February 1 Phillip
sent him in a cutter, in company with Lieutenant Dawes of the Marines,
to visit Laperouse, "and to offer him whatever he might have occasion
for." King relates that they were "received with the greatest
politeness and attention by Monsieur de Laperouse and his officers." He
accepted an invitation to remain during the day with the French, to
dine with the Commodore, and to return to Port Jackson next morning.
The complete history of the voyage was narrated to him, including of
course the tragic story of the massacre of de Langle and his
companions.
After dinner on the BOUSSOLE, King was taken ashore, where he found the
French "quite established, having thrown round their tents a stockade,
guarded by two small guns." This defence was needed to protect the
frames of the two new longboats, which were being put together, from
the natives; and also, it would appear, from a few escaped convicts,
"whom he had dismissed with threats, giving them a day's
provision to carry them back to ye settlement." Laperouse himself, in
his history - in the very last words of it, in fact - complains that
"we had but too frequent opportunities of hearing news of the English
settlement, the deserters from which gave us a great deal of trouble
and embarrassment."
We learn from King a little about the Pere Receveur - a very little,
truly, but sufficient to make us wish to know more. From the
circumstance that his quarters were on the ASTROLABE, and that,
therefore, he was not brought very much under the notice of Laperouse,
we read scarcely anything about him in the commander's book.
