the cleared land was planted with
potatoes, as the first thing from which we could expect any
relief.

On the 4th of August, one of the seamen who had been walking
towards the south-east part of the island, casting his eyes
towards the sea, _saw a sail_; without waiting a moment to
examine her particularly, he ran back with as much speed as
possible, calling out as he ran, A ship! a ship! This news was
all over the settlement in a few minutes, and men, women, and
children were hastening in different directions to welcome the
expected relief. I took a spy glass in my hand, and went to the
place from whence the ship had been seen, and there, to my very
great happiness, I observed a ship with an English ensign flying,
not more than six or seven miles off shore.

The wind at this time blowing strong from south-west, it was
not possible for her to appear off Sydney-Bay, she therefore
wore, and seemed to intend going under the lee of the island, in
order to land a boat there. Captain Johnstone, of the marines,
and myself, agreed to walk across the island and receive them. We
set off, and when we arrived at the sea-side, it is impossible
for me to describe our feelings, when we observed the ship before
the wind, and making sail from the island. We did all we could to
show ourselves, but they did not think proper to speak to us.

The effect this disappointment had upon every individual on
the island will be easier to conceive than to express by words.
Every one agreed in opinion, that it would have been much better
if no ship had been seen. There surely was an appearance of a
great want of the common feelings of humanity in the commander of
this ship: for although we afterwards knew that he had no relief
for us, he had it in his power to have given us some comfort,
some hope of relief being at no great distance; that would, in a
considerable degree, have relieved the anxiety of mind under
which we had laboured for five months past, and he would not have
lost two hours in doing it.

As Captain Johnstone and I were on our way home, lamenting our
disappointment, it struck me that this ship must be from Port
Jackson, and that the commander was bound to China; had nothing
on board for the island, and therefore did not choose to lose any
time; but if this conjecture should be just, he must have known
from our friends what the probable state of this island was, and
therefore might readily suppose that five minutes conversation