A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay
Watkin Tench's Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay is an account of the first British settlement in Australia. It was written by Watkin Tench, a British marine officer who was part of the expedition. The book is divided into two parts. The first part is a detailed description of the voyage from England to Botany Bay, including the people, places, and events encountered along the way. The second part is an account of the settlement itself, including the difficulties encountered in establishing a colony in a new land. Tench also provides insight into the lives of the Aboriginal people, and the interactions between the settlers and the native population. The book is an important historical document, providing a unique perspective on the early days of the British settlement in Australia.
By Watkin Tench · First published 1788 · Genre: Historical Non-Fiction, Travel Writing, Adventure · 19 chapters · 24,044 words
First lines
The marines and convicts having been previously embarked in the River, at Portsmouth, and Plymouth, the whole fleet destined for the expedition rendezvoused at the Mother Bank, on the 16th of March 1787, and remained there until the 13th of May following. In this period, excepting a slight appearance of contagion in one of the transports, the ships were universally healthy, and the prisoners in high spirits. Few complaints or lamentations were to be heard among them, and an ardent wish for the hour of departure seemed generally to prevail.
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A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Watkin Tench, dated 1788 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Historical account
- Author: Watkin Tench
- Date: 1788 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Non-Fiction, Travel Writing, Adventure, Biography
- Length: 24,044 words
- Structure: 19 chapters, 759 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay by Watkin Tench
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
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- James Cook Circumnavigator by George Griffith
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- Pioneering Days Thrilling Incidents by George Sutherland
- With Cobb Co In Far Inland Australia by John Arthur Barry
- The Spanish Pioneers by Charles Fletcher Lummis
Genres
- Historical Non-Fiction — The book is an account of the expedition to Botany Bay, which is a historical event, and is written in a non-fiction style.
- Travel Writing — The book is an account of the expedition to Botany Bay, which is a journey, and is written in a travel writing style.
- Adventure — The book is an account of the expedition to Botany Bay, which is an adventure, and is written in an adventurous style.
- Biography — The book is written by Watkin Tench, and is an account of his experiences on the expedition to Botany Bay, making it a biography.
Tags
expedition · Botany Bay · Australia · colonization · 18th century · British history · transportation · convicts · exploration · settlement · maritime · narrative
Contents
- Chapter 1: From the Embarkation of the Convicts, to the Departure of the Ships from England
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: From the Departure, to the Arrival of the Fleet at Teneriffe
- Chapter 3: From the Fleet's Arrival at Teneriffe, to Its Departure for Rio De Janeiro, in the Brazils
- Chapter 4: The Passage from Teneriffe to Rio De Janeiro, in the Brazils
- Chapter 5: From the Arrival of the Fleet at Rio De Janeiro, Till Its Departure for the Cape of Good Hope; With Some Remarks on the Brazils
- Chapter 6: The Passage from the Brazils to the Cape of Good Hope; With an Account of the Transactions of the Fleet There
- Chapter 7: The Passage from the Cape of Good Hope to Botany Bay
- Chapter 8: From the Fleet's Arrival at Botany Bay to the Evacuation of It; and Taking Possession of Port Jackson. Interviews With the Natives; and an Account of the Country About Botany Bay
- Chapter 9: The Taking Possession of Port Jackson, With the Disembarkation of the Marines and Convicts
- Chapter 10: The Reading of the Commissions, and Taking Possession of the Settlement, in Form. With an Account of the Courts of Law, and Mode of Administering Public Justice in This Country
- Chapter 11: A Description of the Natives of New South Wales, and Our Transactions With Them
- Chapter 12: The Departure of the French from Botany Bay; and the Return of the 'supply' from Norfolk Island; With a Discovery Made by Lieutenant Ball on His Passage to It
- Chapter 13: Transactions at Port Jackson in the Months of April and May
- Chapter 14: From the Beginning of June, to the Departure of the Ships for Europe
- Chapter 15: The Face of the Country; Its Productions, Climate, &c
- Chapter 16: The Progress Made in the Settlement; and the Situation of Affairs at the Time of the Ship, Which Conveys This Account, Sailing for England
- Chapter 17: Some Thoughts on the Advantages Which May Arise to the Mother Country from Forming the Colony
- Chapter 18: Postscript