ree days from Boston, touching no where but at the
abovementioned island.

We had the satisfaction of hearing, through Mr. McClellan, from the
master of the _Britannia_. He had, according to his instructions,
proceeded to Batavia, where judging from his own observation, and by what
he heard, that it was unsafe to make any stay, he after four or five days
left the port, and by that means fortunately escaped being detained,
which, from information that he afterwards received at Bengal, he found
would have happened to him. He was to leave Calcutta about the end of
December.

The report of the Cape of Good Hope being in our possession had reached
that place before the _Experiment_ sailed. On this subject we were rather
anxious, as the armed ships which had lately arrived, the _Reliance_ and
_Supply_, were intended to proceed to that port as soon as the season
would admit, for cattle for the colony.

Bennillong's influence over his countrymen not extending to the natives
at the river, we this month again heard of their violence. They attacked
a man who had been allowed to ply with a passage-boat between the port of
Sydney and the river, and wounded him, (it was feared mortally,) as he
was going with his companion to the settlement; and they were beginning
again to annoy the settlers there.

Notwithstanding the reward that had been offered for apprehending black
Caesar, he remained at large, and scarcely a morning arrived without a
complaint being made to the magistrates of a loss of property supposed to
have been occasioned by this man. In fact, every theft that was committed
was ascribed to him; a cask of pork was stolen from the millhouse, the
upper part of which was accessible, and, the sentinels who had the charge
of that building being tried and acquitted, the theft was fixed upon
Caesar, or some of the vagabonds who were in the woods, the number of
whom at this time amounted to six or eight.

The harvest was all well got in during this month. At Sydney, the
labouring hands were employed in unloading the store-ship; for which
purpose three men from each farm having ten were ordered in to public work.

On the 21st of this month his Majesty's ship the _Reliance_ sailed for
Norfolk Island. In her went Mr. Hibbins, the judge-advocate of that
settlement who arrived from England in the _Sovereign_; and a captain of
the New South Wales corps, to take the command of the troops there.

On the 7th the surgeon's mate of the