BIRTH OF SYDNEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 20

BIRTH OF SYDNEY

FARM COVE PAGEANT

THE FIRST LANDING

SCENE RE-ENACTED

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, January 28.

Sydney's pageantry on Wednesday, began, appropriately, in a splendid reproduction of Governor Arthur Phillip's landing at Farm Cove, one of the harbour's inlets. There'the 18th and 20th centuries met in the friendliest fashion. As the pageantry there culminated in the hoisting of the flag, great numbers of craft on the harbour filled the re-enacted scene of 150 years ago with modern noise of whistles and sirens. The first actors to arrive were 20 or so aborigines. They'took their places in a tiny grove of palm trees. The aborigines seemed a trifle self-conscious about registering the emotions of alarm when they sighted the fleet, but they made an attractive group, chocolateskinned, and dressed partly in bunches of eucalypt leaves. Amplified dialogue conveyed the supposed ideas and ejaculations of seamen on the Supply, a perfect replica of the original By half-past eight „ movements of scarlet'coats on the Supply's deck showed that Lieutenant Ball was embarking with his.men on a boat destined for . the shore. , The aborigines had noticed'the activity. Led by a sturdy, white-haired chieftain, they left the trees and made, a concerted rush towards the beach. The marks of their bare feet patterned the sand and they held a corroboree. The landing party came inexorably onward. It was followed by another,, headed by Captain Phillip himself. The aborigines retreated to their palm trees, and stood huddled uncertainly together. THE LANDING PARTIES. Lieutenant Ball's, boat grounded gently on the shelf of sand. Seamen sprang overboard into the shallow water, and hauled it ashore. .Some of them wore' breeches; but there were a ■ few ■in skirted costumes. The redcoated marines jumped to land, and went through the motions of skirmishing in the .undergrowth. Then they were drawn up in two ranks to await the coming of Phillip. Another bright-hued party leapt from Phillip's boat. By now the beach and its surroundings were ablaze with scarlet Phillip and his officers—Lieutenant King, the Rev. Johnson, and Captain Collins—were carried ashore in state.-Behind them, a group produced a long flagstaff, a tent-pole, some canvas, and various utensils. Most active worker of all was the onelegged cook. He hopped enthusiastically here and there, seeing that all the pots and pans were present, and supervising assort of symbolical wood-chop-ping which consisted of hacking at sprays of green" leaves. While the commissariat department bestirred itself, Phillip and Ball held a conference about the new site for a settlement. "The soil," said Phillip, "appears to meto be the most promising I have seen during my investigations, and a distinct advantage is the depth of water close up to the foreshore, which will save us much work in building jetties." Phillip saw the "indians." He went.across to make his peace with them.:-.' The natives showed signs of retreating further into the bush. But the "old. leader emboldened them by walking forward to meet Phillip with a friendly mien. Phillip responded with similar cordiality. He placed a length of red cloth round the neck of the old man, and threw gifts of brightly-coloured beads to some of the others. The natives, looking satisfied and happy, stood watching the strangers taking possession of the country. By now, a third boat had come ashore, bearing Captain Hunter from the Sirius. Subsequent dialogue made tactful reference to the convict origins of the settlement'. THE CLAMOUR OF 1938. After certain preliminaries, Governor Phillip made a speech, in which he appealed to the company to work diligently for the success of the new settlement. At the end of it, he asked his hearers to charge their glasses, and gave orders for the hoisting of the flag. This was the most impressive part of the ceremonial. For while previously the actors, led by Mr. Frank Harvery as Governor Phillip, had been recreating an episode from history, the raising of the flag suddenly aroused the voice of 1938. Steamers "far and wide across the harbour, set their sirens going in a wild chorus of exultation. The clamour went oh and on. In fact, from the histrionic point of view it continued too long, for Governor Phillip tried to propose the toast of "His Majesty, King George 111, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and success to the new colony," but he could not make a word heard. In desperation, one of the seamen turned towards the harbour and raised a hand like the chairman at a public meeting appealing for fair play. King Canute on the seashore would have had a greater chance of success; / At length the loyal noise subsided and the toast was solemnly honoured. Captain Hunter called to the seamen to utter shouts of "Huzza!"; marines fired a "feu de joie," and once again the twentieth century asserted itself with the mighty booming of a salute from the Australian flagship. Australia had begun,the second half of her second century of white settlement. '■'"• ■•"■ -:.