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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2009, 19 February 1907, Page 3

THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN f v ANCHOR. A SOUVENIR OF THE SIRIUS. When tlio HALS. Sirius, frigate under Captain John Hunter, as second in command to Captain Arthur Phillip, dropped her “mudhook” in the sand of Botany Bay on January 20, 1788, and a .week lntor in that'of Port Jackson, no one supposed n futuro relic destined to a place of honor on shore not far away was boing handled. Yet after lying nearly a century under tho waters of tho Pacific, and losing its outer layers by rusting, tho anchor was dragged up, brought to Sydnoy, and on Saturday shown reposing on a bod of marble, surmounting a tliroocourso pedestal, and destined to remain tboro, one of tlio monuments of tho city. Tho Sirius, as most Australians know, was tho frigate which convoyed to Australia the historic first fleet, consisting of olovon vossols in all, six of thorn freighted with convicts. The passengers by tboso olovon ships, bond and free, formed the nucleus of the Australian nation, and among those gathered on Saturday at Macquarie Place were many doubtless descended from those who landed not many yards away 109 years ago, while the Sirius and the other vessels wore at anchor off Sydney Cove. It is matter for rogrot that tho vessel lierself was not long-lived. About a couple of years after the settlement, and alter'tlio Sirius had done good work, under Captain Hunter, ill surveying Port Jackson, who was sent in time of dearth for supplies, and was wrecked oft’ Norfolk Island, *inil went to pieces near Point Ross. Her anchor lay in slioal water, and was visible at low water till a short time since, when Sir Francis Sutter had it raised , and brought to Sydney, and presented it to the Government ot New South Wales. The relic has suffered much by immersion. noth the flukes have rusted off, and a considerable portion of tho outer layers of metal has also wasted away. But there is enough left to show what it. was, and a new wooden stock lias boon inserted, one end of which rests on the pedestal supporting the anchor. Just in front is another relic—an old nino-poundor gun of tho Sirius, which was landed from the vessel and placed at South Head in order that the settlers could bo apprised by it of the arrival ol a vessel from the world beyond.