The British government decided that as soon as the settlement had been established on the eastern coast of New South Wales, Norfolk Island, so as to forestall its occupation by any other European government. The island, a thousand miles by sea from Port Jackson, had been discovered by Captain Cook during his second voyage, and the British Government thought that it might be useful for supplying the Royal Navy with flax and spars Governor Phillip sent Lt P.G King, R.N., to the island in the Supply with a party of twenty-three people, among them were nine male and six female convicts. They landed late in February 1788. Lt King recorded in his journal:

March 6th. At day-light I left the Supply with two boats, having in them all the people belonging to the Settlement, the tents as part of the provision, & some of the most usefull tools, which we landed & began clearing away a small spot of Ground to erect the tents on, & the Colours were hoisted before sunsett every person & thing belonging to the Settlement were onshore & the tents pitched, before the Colours were hauled down, I assembled my small Colony under them, Lieut Ball & some of his Officers being present. I drank the healths of his Majesty, the Queen, Princes of Wales & success to the Settlements, & as we had no other means of testifying our loyalty, we gave three Cheers on the occasion. . . .

March 7th. I made a Commencement this day in clearing away a piece of Ground for sowing some seeds in. The Spot I am clearing is on the East side of a hill which has a tolerable easy ascent, and the Soil is rich & deep. soon after landing we found a very fine Rivulet of Water, which runs close at the bank of the ground where the Settlement is made; having had a little time to examine round me I found the Island was almost impenetrable. . . As I have only twelve Men, (one of the which is 72years old & another boy of 15) exclusive of the Mate & Surgeon, My progress for some time will be very slow. . . .

March 9th. This being Sunday Every person in the Settlement assembled in my tent, when I performed divine Service, after which my Commission from His Excellency the Governor was read, appointed me Superintendant & Commandant of this Island. I assure every person of my intention of forwarding the King’s Service as much as in my power; to the honest & industrious, I promise every encouragement, & I endeavoured to convince them, that those who were Idle or dishonest, would not avoid that punishment which was due to unless & destructive Member of Society, I also informed them daily & held out every encouragement for them to behave with industry & propriety.

- P.G. King, Journal 1786-90, C115, Mitchell Library, Sydney, pp. 174-9

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