The Lieutenant

The bay is soon named Sydney Cove, and Rooke often looks around in wonder at the strange landscape. Rooke is fascinated by the plate-like rocks, and thinks they look like flaky pastry. He wonders how he'd describe them to Anne in a letter. Within two weeks, the prisoners clear the land and erect sagging tents.

After the land is cleared, the soldiers herd the prisoners into the clearing so that Commodore Gilbert can address everyone. Seeing all the prisoners, Rooke thinks that the balance of power is off: there are about 800 prisoners and only 200 soldiers. Rooke looks around and sees Silk, Major Wyatt, and Captain Gosden, the captain of the Charlotte, who looks unhealthy. When Major Wyatt gives the signal, the marines fire their guns to salute and stand upright. Rooke thinks he'd be happy if it was the last time he ever has to fire his gun.

Gilbert reads his commission from King George that makes him monarch by proxy: he's now Governor Gilbert. He then reads that the natives are "to be treated with amity and kindness," and says that the settlers must learn the native language in order to ensure the wellbeing of the colony. Gilbert finishes his address and calls the reverend to speak. A female prisoner guffaws and the rest of the prisoners begin shouting and whistling. Captain Lennox, a thin man, steps into the crowd and pokes the butt of his musket into a few people. The crowd immediately quiets. Seeing this, Rooke begins to plan how to he'll avoid ever having to police the prisoners.

The reverend begins his sermon, and Rooke thinks that the reverend's words are possibly intended to provoke the prisoners, who had no choice in coming to the colony. Governor Gilbert cuts the reverend off in the middle of a breath, and the prisoners soon return to their work. Rooke puts his head down and begins to walk briskly towards a high cliff where he thinks he might build his observatory. He hears Major Wyatt roaring at a prisoner, and turns to see Wyatt prodding a prisoner to work faster. Other prisoners appear to be working, but Rooke sees they're making no progress. He wonders whether they're stupid or just indifferent.

Rooke comes across Silk sitting on a rock and writing. Silk invites Rooke to sit with him and regales him with a story of an encounter with the natives. The natives apparently didn't know what sex the settlers were, and when a soldier pulled his pants down, the natives were astonished. Rooke praises Silk's retelling of the story, but secretly hopes that Silk doesn't include him in the book. Silk earnestly asks Rooke to help him with the book by telling him his own stories about what he sees in New South Wales. This surprises Rooke, and he realizes that Silk sees his time in New South Wales as an opportunity to become a writer.