Name/TitleA complete account of the settlement of Port Jackson, in New South Wales, including an accurate description of the situation of the colony; of the natives; and of its natural productions.
About this objectBook. 1793. 'Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson, in New South Wales, including an Accurate Description of the Situation of the Colony; of the Natives; and of its Natural Productions: taken on the spot', by Captain Watkin Tench, of the Marines. Quarto, with a folding map. An excellent copy, uncut in the original blue-grey boards. The paper on the boards is torn and wearing; contemporary simple canvas spine with hand-lettered label, unsophisticated and preserved in a book form box. Published by Nicol and Sewell; London.
First edition of one of the Australian foundation books, a subscriber's copy in original binding. One of the scarcest First Fleet accounts, this is the second of Tench's two books and brings his account of settlement in New South Wales to the end of the first four years, completing his account of the settlement at Sydney cove. This is a most attractive copy of the very readable account.
Tench (c1758-1833) left New South Wales with the other marines on 18 December 1791 aboard HMS GORGON which had accompanied the third Fleet and his book was published in November or December 1793, more than a year after his return. Tench had explored the country around Sydney, discovered the Nepean River, and commenced the assault on the still impregnable Blue Mountains. Consequently, this book, "has a special place in a collection of the explorers. Where the other First Fleet journalists described the excursions and expeditions of others, Tench published selections from the actual journals kept on his own expeditions. He was the first Australian explorer to do so. Tench and his travelling companion, William Dawes, have been described as the first systematic explorers, which gives an added point to his being the first to print extracts from his Travelling Diaries in New South Wales. The interest of the 1793 volume is further enhanced by the fine folding engraved 'Map of the hitherto explored Country, Contiguous to Port Jackson: Laid down from Actual Survey', which records the results of early exploration around the settled areas" (Wantrup).
Tench’s second publication paints a comprehensive view of daily life in the settlement through years of hardship and severe shortages. An understanding and intelligent observer of human nature, he gives vivid insights into the often strained relationships between convict labourers and the marines set to guard them. His account is praised as the most insightful and detailed description of the social fabric of the penal colony, in contrast to other more formal and official narratives.
Tench also describes his significant explorations of the landscape of the Sydney basin and forays into the Blue Mountains, while providing sympathetic descriptions of their contact with the Eora aboriginal people.
The book includes a folding map providing an excellent survey of known lands, it details Botany Bay and Broken Bay along the coast and inland to the Nepean river, with numerous engraved notes on the landscape with a view to future farming and grazing ventures.
Subscriber's copy, inscribed on the title-page, "Eliza Giffard - Nerquis Flintshire 1807", and lettered in another hand on the cover "Mrs. Giffard". Tench's patron, and the dedicatee of the book, was Sir Watkin Williams Wynn of Flintshire, whose near-neighbour was Mrs Giffard.
Crittenden, ‘A Bibliography of the First Fleet’, 238; Ferguson, 171; not in the catalogue of the Hill collection; Wantrup, 16.
MakerWatkin Tench
Maker RoleAuthor
Date Made1793
Period18th-century
Medium and MaterialsPaper and ink
Object TypeBooks
Object numberSF000024
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial - No Derivatives (cc)