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went, he then mentions the orders his Lieutenant Simmonds had re ceived, to sail the “ Lady Nelson ” across to Port Philip. This leads him to remark of the place, “ Where Colonel Collins of the marines had in vain attempted to form a settlement. The arid, infertile nature of the soil, with a distressing scarcity of water, had made the abandon ment of that station inevitable.” Preparations were made for departure to the Derwent River of Tas mania. Uncertain of their future fate, six more convicts escaped two days after Christmas. Buckley is supposed to have gone on that excursion. The “ Ann ” arrived from Port Jackson with despatches from Capt. King, on January 20th, 1804, and the “ Lady Nelson, ” arrived the following day. On the 24th one hundred convicts were put on hoard the “ Ocean, ” which however, did not arrive at the Der went till February 16th. The Governor and his officers embarked on the “ Lady Nelson, ” January, 25th; our literary mate describes them as a merry lot. Several trips were taken before all were assembled in the beautiful Island of Tasmania, in the township of Hobart Town. Thus was Port Phillip abandoned. In the romantic language of our poetical sailor historian, “ The Kangaroo seems to reign undisturbed lord of the soil; in dominion which, by the evacuation of Port Phillip, he is likely to retain for ayes." We may here mention the sub sequent adventures of the worthy writer. The “ Calcutta ” cleared out for England in the year 1805 ; while conveying some Merchantmen to St. Helena, she was captured by the French—the Captain was soon exchanged, but Lt. Tuckey remained as prisoner, until after the fall of Napoleon. Lieut. Tuckey was subsequently sent on an expedition to the pestiferous banks of the Zaire, in Africa, when he and most of his men perished. Colonel Collins ruled in his new territory for six years. Hewasabaddiciplinarian. His own moral delinquencies, and love of the festive board indisposed him to scrutinize closely the con duct of others. On the 24th of March, 1810, according to the Rev. John West, “ He died while sitting in his chair, conversing with his attendant. ’’ This authority will be sufficient to repel the slander that he committed suicide. The delapidated condition of his grave induced the Tasmanian Sailor-Governor, Sir John Franklin, to erect a handsome monument in 1838, over the remains of the founder of two Australian Colonies. The abandonment of Port Phillip might almost have beeen predicted from the materials of which the Colony was formed. They were not even capacitated to contend with practical difficulties. Lord Bacon
