ion to the superintendant, there died in this month a woman, Jane
Forbes, the wife of Butler, a settler at Prospect Hill, who fell into the
fire while preparing their breakfast, and received such injury that she
shortly after expired.

August.] From the scantiness of salted provisions, the article salt was
become as scarce. There came out in the _Surprise_, as a settler, a
person of the name of Boston. Among other useful knowledge* which we were
given to understand he possessed, he at this time offered his skill in
making salt from sea-water. As it was much wanted, his offers were
accepted, and, an eligible spot at Bennillong's Point (as the east point
of the cove had long been named) being chosen, he began his operations,
for which he had seven men allowed him, whose labour, however, only
produced three or four bushels of salt in more than as many weeks.

[* Having been sent out by government to supply us with salted fish, he
had some time before offered to procure and salt fish for the settlement;
but he required boats and men, and more assistance than it was possible
to supply. He proposed to try Broken Bay.]

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's birthday was duly noticed. At
one o'clock the _Endeavour_ fired twenty-one guns.

Wilson (Bun-bo-e), immediately after his return from Port Stephens with
the deputy-surveyor, went off to the natives at the river. Another
vagabond, who like himself had been a convict, one Knight, thinking there
must be some sweets in the life which Wilson led, determined to share
them with him, and went off to the woods. About the middle of this month
they both came into the town, accompanied by some of their companions. On
the day following it appeared that their visit was for the purpose of
forcing a wife from among the women of this district; for in the midst of
a considerable uproar, which was heard near the bridge, Wilson and Knight
were discovered, each dragging a girl by the arm (whose age could not
have been beyond nine or ten years) assisted by their new associates. The
two white men being soon secured, and the children taken care of, the mob
dispersed. Wilson and Knight were taken to the cells and punished, and it
was intended to employ them both in hard labour; but they found means to
escape, and soon mixed again with companions whom they preferred to our
overseers.

About this time the natives were, during two days, engaged in very severe
contests. Much blood was shed, and