ould be landed.

We were now upon this little island 506 souls, upon half
allowance of provisions; and that could, with our present
numbers, last but a very short time; as the supply intended for
the island was yet on board the Sirius; and consequently its
safety very uncertain.

Providence was kind to us. We had for several days the weather
fine, and the surf uncommonly smooth, for this place: for
although there was a continual surf breaking upon the ship, and
all the way between her and the shore, yet it was considered here
as uncommonly smooth: each of those fine days we got on shore
from twenty to thirty casks of provisions, with various other
articles of both public and private property; such articles as
would swim were entrusted to the chance of being thrown on shore
by the surf: all that I or any other officer saved, was found
washing upon the beach; but as the shore was lined with the
marines, to prevent the convicts from committing depredations, it
was much, but not wholly prevented. Every thing which came on
shore was placed under the care of centinels, until claimed by
the proprietor, before certain officers.

But that success which attended those things that were
committed to the sea, proved at last a misfortune; for it
occasioned their trusting every thing promiscuously of private
property to the surf; by which many valuable articles of mine and
some of the officers were lost, being too heavy to float, a
circumstance that those who threw them overboard had not
considered. The provisions being the first object, nothing
besides was allowed to be sent by the traveller; and
notwithstanding it was all dragged through the sea, the damaged
part was but trifling. Some casks were washed out of the slings,
dashed to pieces upon the rocks, and of course lost; but, taking
the whole together, we saved more provisions than we could have
reasonably expected.

By the time we had landed the principal part of the
provisions, the weather began to be rather unfavourable to our
wishes and endeavours; the wind set in from the southward, the
sea rose and occasioned a very high surf, which rendered it
unsafe for any person to remain on board; the small bower cable,
which had hitherto kept the ship's head to the sea, being cut by
the rocks, and the ship being considerably lightened by what had
been taken out of her, she was lifted so high by every sea, as to
occasion her striking very heavily; and by those repeated shocks