having been near two years upon duty on this island,
and was well acquainted with the above particulars: this
assistance enabled them at all proper times to make more free
with the shore. Mr. Keltie, the master of the Sirius, and Mr.
Brooks, the boatswain, attended with me the whole day at the
landing-place.

The boats employed on this business were manned by the
Sirius's crew; so that every possible attention to prevent danger
or accident was used: but, notwithstanding which, on the 17th of
August, in what was considered as good landing, one of the boats,
in coming into the passage, was overtaken by a succession of
heavy surfs, which threw her on one of the reefs, where she
parted in less than two minutes, and seven people were drowned. I
was with several other officers within twenty yards of them, and
with at least thirty people beside, and could render them very
little assistance.

Of the persons who were drowned, there were two of the boat's
crew, who belonged to the Sirius; three women convicts, who were
coming from the ship in this boat, a child, and one convict man,
who went off with many others to try to save the women. There
were two women brought on shore, by the exertions of the people
on the reef, who were, when landed, apparently dead, but
recovered by the surgeons; one was mother of the child which was
lost; one convict man, who was exerting himself to save others,
was himself brought on shore apparently drowned, but was also
brought to again. The people who were lost, were carried out by
the outset from the shore, which at a certain time of tide is so
strong that a boat can scarcely pull a-head against it, even when
calm.

This serves to convince me of the unfounded illiberality of an
observation which I have seen in a certain publication, lately
come out from England, wherein it is mentioned, when speaking of
this island, that there was a boat's crew drowned at a certain
time, but that it was occasioned by the imprudence of the
midshipman, who did not attend to the orders which were given
him: yet certain it is every officer here, at this time, was
fully satisfied it had not been in his power to obey, owing to
the out-set above-mentioned: and therefore it is equally certain,
the reflection upon that gentleman's conduct was highly unjust.
If there had been any act of imprudence committed at that time,
it was not by the midshipman, whose duty it was to obey orders,
but by sending in that narrow and