Читать книгу Early History of the Colony of Victoria, Volume I - Francis Peter Labilliere - Страница 3

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INTRODUCTION.

Table of Contents

LIKE some of the explorers whose deeds are recorded in these pages, I have been enticed far beyond the distance I contemplated reaching on setting out upon my investigations. Having only started to examine a single point in the history of Victoria, I have been led the length of producing a complete and authentic account of the exploration and colonization of that Province.

This work had its origin in a curiosity to ascertain more particulars of the discovery of Port Phillip Bay by Lieut. Murray, than are supplied by the meagre statements respecting that event which have hitherto been published. It occurred to me that the log of the Lady Nelson, Murray's vessel, might contain some interesting details; so, having ascertained that it was in existence in the Public Record Office, I applied for, and was favoured with, permission from the Admiralty to inspect the log, and am thus able to present to my readers all those parts of it which bear upon the subject of this book. Being astonished that a document of such historic importance should have been laid aside and forgotten, I naturally concluded that others relating to the early history of the Colony had shared the same fate. This led me to ask permission to inspect the Colonial Office papers in the Record Office, which was courteously granted; and I set to work upon a regular search through several hundred volumes of despatches and letters of the New South Wales Correspondence—from the foundation of the Colony in 1788, to the colonization of the Port Phillip District—and also through most of the Tasmanian Correspondence to the same period. From these papers, which contain a vast amount of information respecting the early history of Australia, I have been able to bring to light numerous documents which have hitherto remained as if mere ordinary official records.

Among these are all the papers and correspondence relating to the settlements attempted to be founded by Colonel Collins at Port Phillip in 1803-4, and by Captains Wright and Wetherall at Western Port in 1826-27. None of these papers seem ever to have been printed; and I know of no published account of either of those attempts to colonize the territory of Victoria. Whenever mentioned, they are barely noticed by writers who have treated of the early settlement of the Colony.

Some documents, also, now brought to light, seem to set at rest the controversy whether Hume and Hovell, on arriving at the coast, both believed that they were at Port Phillip Bay or at Western Port, and also whether the party of Batman or of Fawkner first selected the site of Melbourne.

I have been disappointed in not discovering two important documents—for which I have sought wherever there seemed a chance of finding them in this country, and have also written out for them to Sydney—namely, Bass's original journal of his whale-boat expedition to Western Port, and the report made by Surveyor-General Grimes of his investigation of Port Phillip Bay, when sent from Sydney to examine that harbour in 1802. The leading facts of the former are doubtless given by Flinders, in his "Terra Australis"; whose chart of the bay is completed from that of Grimes. But, as my desire has been to record the statements of the first explorers themselves, not secondary recitals of them, however complete and accurate, I regret being unable to give the exact words of Bass and Grimes. I, however, rejoice at the fact that the report of the latter has recently been found in Sydney, although unable to set it out in these pages, and hope that some one will also be more fortunate than I have been in discovering Bass's original journal—the only important document now wanting to complete the authentic history of discovery in Victoria.

The facts contained in these pages could have been compressed into much smaller space, by merely giving the substance of the documents set out, with references to where they may be found; but then the work would be without its chief value as an authority,—most of the documents in it having never before been printed.

My desire being to produce an accurate and complete work on my native Colony, I now present this in the form which strikes me as likely to make it most useful as a permanent historical record. Its merit consists, not in my attempt to tell the tale of exploration and colonization in my own language, but in letting the explorers and colonizers speak in theirs. History would be more accurate had those who made it been allowed to state, in their own way, how they did so, instead of other people attempting to tell their story better for them.

Some of my readers, who know how strong my sympathies are with those large ideas which regard the United Empire as one nation—one country—may perhaps be surprised that I should have so much interested myself with the details of the early history of one of its provinces; but I see no reason why the strongest Imperial sentiments should not co-exist with the warmest affection for that particular part of the Empire in which a man has been born and brought up. His devotion to the unity of the Empire need be none the less, because he thinks his own Colony, or division of the British Dominions, the best, and does his utmost to promote its advancement, in friendly and healthy rivalry for progress with the others. The interests of the Empire, and of its component parts, run upon such parallel lines, that it appears impossible that they can ever come into collision. The welfare of the whole is essential to each part, as that of each part is to the whole.

I should be guilty of an unpardonable omission were I not to acknowledge my obligation to the Colonial and Admiralty Departments, in granting me permission to examine their documents, and to use those of them which appear in this book; and I cannot speak too highly of the uniform courtesy and kindness with which I have been aided in my investigations by the gentlemen of each of the departments with whom I have been brought in contact,—particularly those of the Record Office, where most of my investigations have taken place. My thanks are specially due to Mr. Alfred Kingston, for greatly facilitating my researches, for many valuable suggestions, and much kindness, during the long time I have pursued my inquiries in his office.

I am also indebted to Mr. William Henty for valuable information respecting the settlement founded by his family at Portland Bay, and to Mr. Flinders Petrie, for some interesting facts about the explorations of his grandfather, the celebrated navigator. I have to thank Mr. H.B.T. Strangways for some kind assistance, and to acknowledge the helpful interest taken in my work by Messrs. Chesson, William Walker, J.A. Youl, C.M.G., Frederick Young, and by the late Mr. Edward Wilson.

To Mr. Bonwick, Mr. Westgarth, Mr. Rusden, Rev. Dr. Lang, Rev. Julian Woods, and others, great praise is due for their services, in giving to the world such knowledge respecting the history of Victoria, as has been obtainable from Australian sources of information.

The fact that Australia was governed till 1856, according to the Crown Colony system, accounts for most of the important early official documents, relating to the history of the country, having been sent to England.

I at first thought of strictly limiting this history to the exploration and colonization of the territory; but, as it approached completion, it seemed desirable to continue it, on an abbreviated scale, down to the time when the Port Phillip District,—after having been separated from New South Wales, and passing through a short existence as the Crown Colony of Victoria,—was finally invested with all the functions of constitutional self-government. At this period the early history of the Colony clearly ends. From the occupation of the territory downwards, the leading events are, therefore, noticed; but if recorded on the same scale as those of the earlier and less known periods of the colonial history, they would have occupied at least as much space.

What this work does for Victoria might well be done for each of the Australian Colonies. It is time that all the documents bearing upon their history should be printed. Some years ago a literary society in New York sent over to this country and obtained copies of all documents relating to the history of that State, which have since been published. The same has been done for other portions of the American Union. My book must do some service, if it only direct attention to the mine of information respecting colonial history which it has far from exhausted. Not until the forgotten materials for the history of each of the Colonies are collected, as I have endeavoured to collect those of Victoria, can a comprehensive history of Australia be written.

I have only been able to accomplish this undertaking by spreading it over some years—other avocations having prevented me from devoting myself continuously to the work. It has been a labour, but one of love, lightened by the interest which the expectation and realization of new discoveries impart, not merely to the geographical explorer himself, but, in no small degree also, to the historian who seeks to bring to light the forgotten records of his achievements.

FRANCIS PETER LABILLIERE.

5, PUMP COURT, TEMPLE,

May, 1878.