BOTANY BAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 415, 14 May 1902, Page 3

BOTANY BAY.

J One hundred and thirty-two years ago, t on April 28, the intrepid circumnavigator, 3 Captain James Cook, entered Botany Bay, E New South Wales, and anchored “ within 1 its south head, abreast of a small village l consisting of eight or nine huts, about two ■ miles within the entrance, in six fathoms of water.” He described the bay as “ seeming to be tolerably well sheltered,” and spoke of the meadow-like land in the vicinity. Captain Cook was on his return Home in the Endeavour, and had left New Zealand to find a passage north of Australia, and thence by the East Indies Home. On April 19, 1770, he sighted the south-eastern coast of 11 New Holland,” at Cape Everard, and nine days later entered Botany Bay, and landing took possession of the continent for the British Crown. The anniversary of this great national ovent, though not marked ‘by any public holiday, was celebrated on April 20 at Captain Cook’s Landing Place, by the official opening of tho wharf that has been built on the spot where Captain Cook stepped ashore on that memorable occasion, and by the opening of the house at Kurnell. This house has been erected on the site of the one occupied by Mr Connell early in the century ; so long ago, in fact, that in front of it stand two fine Norfolk Island pines that were planted by a daughter of his 70 years ago. Mr Connell kept a dairy, which he excavated out of the hill, and the trapdoors to it are at one of the front corners of the house. The building itself is of seven rooms, one portion being set apart for the caretaker, and the other for the accommodation of visitors. The place where Captain Cook obtained water for the Endeavour has been utilised by the trustees of Captain Cook’s Landing Place for the benefit of the public, a dam having been placed across the creek to conserve water for their use. Those present at the ceremony on April 26 must have been struck with the contrast between the time of Captain Cook’s arrival and the present. Then there was no sign of human life save curling smoke arising from the “ small village of eight or nine huts,” aud the few timid Australian natives shrinking under cover in the background. Now, opposite Cook’s Landing Place and commanding the entrance to the bay is a fort, with, further back, the red buildings of the telegraph station at the shore end of the New Zealand cable, by means of which communication may be held within a few hours with the rest of the world. Botany Bay, then fringed by forest almost to the • water’s edge, is now studded with small i townships, high chimny-stacks marking industrial points, while the bay itself carries craft of various sizes. Special interest was given to the proceedings by the presence of Mrs William J. Barrington, a ' direct lineal descendant of the famous circumnavigator ; Mrs Barrington, who was ’ born in Hunter-street, Sydney, in 1838, ( being the grand-niece of Captain Cook. A large concourse of spectators assembled on the lawn at the official opening of the wharf and house. The ceremony, in the absence of Mr John See, Premier, was performed by Mr J. H. Carruthers, M.L.A., who had Mrs Barrington on his righthand as an honored guest. 1