not to be trusted too far; for we were
informed, that on the very day and hour of their departure from that
island, the boats of the two ships, which were sent for a last load of
water, were attacked by the natives with stones and clubs, and M. De
l'Angle, the captain of the _Astrolabe_, with eleven officers and men,
were put to death; those who were so fortunate as to get off in the small
boats that attended on the watering launches (which were destroyed),
escaped with many wounds and contusions, some of which were not healed at
the time of their relating to us this unfortunate circumstance. It was
conjectured, that some one of the seamen, unknown to the officers, must
have occasioned this outrage, for which there was no other probable
reason to assign, as the natives during the time the ships were at the
island had lived with the officers and people on terms of the greatest
harmony. And this was not the first misfortune that those ships had met
with during their voyage; for on the north-west coast of America, they
lost two boats with their crews, and several young men of family, in a
surf.

Notwithstanding the pressure of the important business we had upon our
hands after our landing, the discharge of our religious duties was never
omitted, divine service being performed every Sunday that the weather
would permit: at which time the detachment of marines paraded with their
arms, the whole body of convicts attended, and were observed to conduct
themselves in general with the respect and attention due to the occasion
on which they were assembled.

It was soon observed with satisfaction, that several couples were
announced for marriage; but on strictly scrutinizing into the motive, it
was found in several instances to originate in an idea, that the married
people would meet with various little comforts and privileges that were
denied to those in a single state; and some, on not finding those
expectations realised, repented, wished and actually applied to be
restored to their former situations; so ignorant and thoughtless were
they in general. It was however to be wished, that matrimonial connexions
should be promoted among them; and none who applied were ever rejected,
except when it was clearly understood that either of the parties had a
wife or husband living at the time of their leaving England.

The weather during the latter end of January and the month of February
was very close, with rain, at times very heavy, an