r of rocks in the
creek, and a surf beating on the shore, I did not land. This
island is covered with pines, which grow at a distance from each
other: there is a reef off the south-east side, which stretches
near a mile; within a ship's length of it, there is fourteen
fathoms water, and nine fathoms all round the east side, within
half a mile of the shore. The passage between Point Hunter and
Nepean Island is a very good one, there being three fathoms close
to Nepean Isle, and eight fathoms in mid-channel. I sounded close
along the back of the reef which runs along Sydney-Bay, and found
four fathoms within a ship's length of the reef. I returned at
sun-set, having caught thirty-six very fine fish, which were
issued out as usual.

I brought only five months bread and flour to the island, and
it being now expended to three casks of each, which was two
months bread at full allowance, and as I had near six months salt
provisions, I put myself and every person on the island to
two-thirds allowance of flour and bread on the 2d, until the
arrival of more provisions.

The 4th, being the anniversary of his Majesty's birth-day, I
caused it to be observed as a holiday. The colours were hoisted
at sun-rise; every person had a good dinner, of the produce of
the island, and I gave the convicts some liquor to drink their
sovereign's health: the evening concluded with bonfires, which,
exclusive of the joy we felt at the return of his Majesty's
birth-day, and the celebrating it in this distant part of the
globe, we with pleasure saw some large piles of wood burnt that
had been along time collecting, and which were a great
incumbrance to us.

At day-light in the morning of the 15th, the midshipman and
four men went out in the boat to fish: they were returning at
nine o'clock, and in passing the point of the reef, the fine
weather, and the absence of surf, threw them so much off their
guard, that the boat shipped a sea which filled her, and washed
John Batchelor, a marine, overboard: the boat, with the rest of
the men, drove in among the rocks to the westward of the
landing-place, where they were saved with great difficulty,
having received violent contusions. The boat was got round to the
crab and hove up; she was much damaged, and her repairs were
likely to take up a considerable time, as I had only two men who
could assist in this business.

The wheat which was sown on the north-east side of Mount
George, the 15th of June, bei