Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/638

 5U DESERTED and its 8cener>- 1790 landlocked, and has several capital arms furnished with manj inlets, coves, and bays, where whole fleets might lay in safety. The harbour with good water under them and fine holding ground at the bottom. Indeed nothing can be conceived more picturesque than the appear- ance of the country while running up this extraordinary haTen. The land on all sides is high and covered with an exuberance of trees. Toward the water, craggy rocks and vast declivities are everywhere to be seen. The scene is beautifuUy heightened by a number of small islands dispersed here and there, on which, wi^ a little help of the imagination, you discover charming seats and verdant vistas, superb buildings, grand ruins of stately edi^ces, &C., which, as we passed, were only visible at intervals, the view being every now and then agreeably interrupted by the interven- tion of some proud eminences, or lost in the labyrinths of the groves that so abound in this fascinating scenery. The novelty of this picture was still increased by the frequent appearance of the natives, who now and then, posting themselves high on the Mourir pour rocks upon some conspicuous overhanging cliff, would brandish their spears as though to dispute our passage. There was a some- thing f rantick in the manner of these petty veterans, their menacing gestures being occasionally interrupted by long considerings and excessive fits of laughter, in which there seemed to be more of a^ta- tion than of those pleasing emotions that usually excite risibility. la piitrio. Spanish ooloniBa- tion. DESERTED COLONIES. In 1581, a powei-ful armament was fitted out by Phillip the Second of Spain, for the purpose of fortifying certain points on the shores of the First Angostura, or narrows, in the Straits of Magalhanes, in order to guard the passage against English ships, and also for the purpose of founding a colony there. At that time the Straits were regarded as the key of the Pacific Ocean, the passage round Cape Horn not being thpn known to navigators. Twenty-three ships were equipped for the expedition, and three thousand ^ve hundred men were put on board, including many artificers, with large stores of ammunition and ordnance. The fleet was formed into three divisions, one of which was to proceed to Chili, and a second to Brazil, while the third was to remain in the Straits, under Sarmiento. the command of Pedro Sarmiento, at whose suggestion the enter- prise had been undertaken. The whole fleet was directed to sail in company to the Straits for the purpose of assisting Sarmiento in planting the intended colony. The ships sailed from Seville in September, but a succession of disasters reduced their number to Digitized by Google