Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/305

 AND HIS STAFF. 1^7 tiiat he should be happy to see my wish gratified, but that promo- 1791 tion in the navy by no means rested with him. After a stay of nearly three months in England, King King " 1 !.>• J. ' -rr •%€ a returns to sot out on his return to the seat of nis government m II.M.0. the colony. Gorgon, commanded by Captain Parker — ^after whom his son Phillip Parker King was named. They sailed on tho 15th March, and arrived in Port Jackson on the 2l8t Sep- tember, 1791. The voyage was a pleasant one, judging from the account of it written by Captain Parker's widow and published in 1795. King had many reasons to enjoy Enjoys his the trip ; he had not only his commission as a Lieutenant- Governor, but also another as a master and commander in the navy, having obtained the step for which he had asked Lord Grenville.* In addition to the commissions, he had a wife Three good reasons. whom he had married during his stay in England. Mrs. Parker tells us of many little excursions on shore at Tene- riffe. Port Praya, and the Cape, enjoyed by the passengers of the Gorgon — amongst whom was Mr. Grimes, a surveyor, who was sent in 1802 by Governor King to survey Port Phillip. This lad/s homely narrative gives us a sketch of social life in Sydney, at the time of her arrival, which seems to show the bright side of a picture too generally looked upon as without even a tint of colour. Let us take her sketch ^**^jj^'® of " Sidney Cove" to begin with — the slopes of which, as she cove. saw it, were still radiant with green, although the ground was very rocky ; stately trees crowned the heights on either side ; here and there a house or public building, surrounded by huts; red-coated soldiers on guard, with bayonets glisten- ing in the sunlight, and gangs of labourers at work in all directions. Here is her account of what she saw on landing : — When we went on shore, we were all admiration at the natural beauties raised by the hand of Providence without expence or toil : I mean the various flowery shrubs, natives of this country, that a landscape. grow apparently from rock itself. The gentle ascents, the winding valleys, and the abundance of flowering shrubs, render the face of ♦ Port, p. 526. Digitized byCjOOQlC