dings, a vein of clay having been found which it
was supposed would burn into good bricks. A very convenient wharf and
landing place were made at that settlement, and twenty-seven huts were in
great forwardness at the end of the month.

Very small hopes were entertained of the wheat of this season; extreme
dry weather was daily burning it up. Toward the latter end of the month
some rain fell, the first which deserved the name of a heavy rain since
last June.

October.] The little rain which fell about the close of the preceding
month soon ceased, and the gardens and the corn grounds were again
parching for want of moisture. The grass in the woods was so dried, that
a single spark would have set the surrounding country in flames; an
instance of this happened early in the month, with the wind blowing
strong at N W. It was however happily checked.

Bennillong, after appointing several days to visit the governor, came at
last on the 8th, attended by three of his companions. The welcome
reception they met with from every one who saw them inspired the
strangers with such a confidence in us, that the visit was soon repeated;
and at length Bennillong solicited the governor to build him a hut at the
extremity of the eastern point of the cove. This the governor, who was
very desirous of preserving the friendly intercourse which seemed to have
taken place, readily promised, and gave the necessary directions for its
being built.

19th.] While we were thus amusing ourselves with these children of
ignorance, the signal for a sail was made at the South Head, and shortly
after the _Supply_ anchored in the cove from Batavia, having been absent
from the settlement six months and two days. Lieutenant Ball arrived at
Batavia on the 6th of July last, where he hired a vessel, a Dutch snow,
which was to sail shortly after him with the provisions that he had
purchased for the colony. While the _Supply_ lay at Batavia the season
was more unhealthy than had ever been known before; every hospital was
full, and several hundreds of the inhabitants had died. Lieutenant Ball,
at this grave of Europeans, buried Lieutenant Newton Fowell, Mr. Ross the
gunner, and several of his seamen. He tried for some days to touch at
Norfolk Island, but ineffectually, being prevented by easterly winds.
Mr. King and Mr. Miller (the late commissary) had sailed on the 4th of
last August in a Dutch packet for Europe.

By the return of this vessel several comforts we