hich made it as cold as winter.

On the 14th, I planted about thirty rod of ground with Indian
corn: some which had been planted in September was now five feet
high, and the wheat grew so very rank that I was obliged to crop
it.

I went out in the coble on the 22d, and sounded between Point
Hunter and Nepean Isle: there is a good channel, and there are
not less than three fathoms close to Point Hunter; and on the
north side of Nepean Isle in mid-channel, there are eight fathoms
water.

On the 29th, I landed on Nepean Island, and found it to
consist entirely of one mass of sand, held together by the
surrounding cliffs, which are a border of hard rocks:
notwithstanding there was not the least appearance of earth or
mould on the island, yet there were upwards of two hundred very
fine pines growing on it; the surface was covered with a kind of
coarse grass.

The weather being now very hot, I changed the working hours,
and gave the labourers from half past ten o'clock until half past
twelve, to avoid the heat of the sun: they were employed in
clearing ground for cultivation, making shingles, cutting a road
from the settlement to Ball Bay, and reaping wheat and
barley.

The heat of the sun split the weather boarding with which my
house was covered; and it being very leaky, I fet the carpenters
and sawyers to work to put a new roof on, and to raise the house
five feet, in order to make room for stores and provisions.

At day-light in the morning of the 2d of December, I went in
the coble to Phillip Isle, where I landed on a rock, in a small
bay on the north side. It was with difficulty that I ascended the
first hills, which were covered with a sharp long grass that cut
like a knife; this was interspersed with brushwood. The soil is a
light red earth, and was so full of holes, which had been made by
the birds, that walking was very laborious. A small valley runs
the whole length of the island, in which, and on some of the
hills, a few pines grow, but I think the whole island does not
produce more than one hundred and fifty. I found no fresh water
on the island, but probably there may be some, as I saw a number
of hawks, pigeons, and parrots; but as I had only two convicts to
row the boat, I left the island, and got to Sydney Bay in the
evening.

On the 8th, I housed all the barley which had been raised on
an acre of ground, and was sown in June and July. During the
first of its growth, it had a most promising appea