Letter received by Banks from Arthur Phillip, 2 July 1788 (Series 37.05) - No. 0003

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as far as those Hills, I shall find a very large river or lake, as I found when I was at a Hill, I call'd Belle vue, & which is about four & twenty Miles from the head of the harbour, pools of Water that did not appear Stagnated, as they would have been had they been form'd in the Rainy Season.  There the Country is very fine, & so it is a few Miles from us, but it is impossible for us to leave the Situation we are in, for some time, as the removing any quantity of Stores or Provisions in land, a single days Journey away, would be now out of our power. Miracles have ceased, or I would pray, to have all the Convicts changed into fifty good farmers.  The difficulty, of examining a Country like this you are acquainted with & of which none can judge but those who, like  Sr. J. Banks, have waded thro' bogs & Swamps, such as I never saw in any other part of the World. 

The very few hours I have hitherto