The small number of Aborigines who lived on the shores of Port Jackson and Botany Bay were thrust aside by the English colonists, who took their land away from them and prevented them from fishing and hunting in the ways they and their tribal ancestors had been used to for many centuries. The British government claimed to own the whole of New South Wales; it did not acknowledge that the Aborigines had any land rights, and when they retaliated by spearing the whites or setting fire to the countryside, they were hunted down like animals. Since they had no firearms and no knowledge of the methods of modern warfare, and did not live in villages or even in houses, they were quickly overpowered and overrun. Even where they lived in numbers, they never constituted more than a passing nuisance. Early contacts between white and black were sometimes amicable, sometimes violent. A seaman from one of the storeships wrote a brief account of his own experience:

Friday, April 18, in the morning went up the river about two miles, with our long and small boats. Parted company with our small boat, having on board 5 men, including myself. At a quarter of a mile distant turned a point of land and surprised 4 canoes of the natives; they had a fire ashore, and were enjoying themselves, but on seeing us they immediately fled, leaving behind their canoes, containing fishing implements, a shield made from the bark of a tree, a Calabash shell with food, which was chiefly fish. One of their children we soon over took, who seemed much affrighted, cried greatly, and began to climb the rocks, &c. to escape. Three of the men savages, who were quite naked, return and sat down with us by the fire for near an hour. The child was about two feet and half high, of a chocolate colour, well proportionated, short black curly hair, ornamented each side his head with small fish bones, and behind two bunches of white and yellow feathers, from a bird called a cockatoo, cemented to small locks of hair with gum. On Sunday the 27th, went down the river, having the charge of our small boat, with 8 convicts. who went to fish for the doctors ashore. We put into a bay about two miles and a half from where the ships lay, and spoke with some of the natives, (men) who had three children with them, one of which was an infant, whom I took in my arms.. Friday, May 2, one of the convicts was hanged for robbing the ship Charlotte’s tent ashore. Friday, May the 30th, 2 of the convicts were brought into the buildings who were killed by the natives in a most barbarous manner, by being cut and pierced in various parts of their bodies. It was supposed to have been done thro’ revenge for taking away for taking away one of their canoes. Wednesday, June 25, two convicts were executed. Monday, July the 12th, sailed from Port Jackson for Europe.

- Extract of a Journal from England to Botany Bay, by Richard Williams, belonging to the ship Borrowdale, from the broadsheet, Q991/W, in the Mitchell Library, Sydney

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