seen
by the master of the Golden Grove, on her return from this island
in October last, in latitude 29 deg. 25' south, longitude
159 deg. 59' east of Greenwich: he was also to look for an island
and shoal that were seen by Lieutenant Shortland, in the
Alexander transport: the shoal, in latitude 29 deg. 20' south,
longitude 158 deg. 40' east, and the island 28 deg. 10' south
latitude, and 159 deg. 50' east longitude. Mr. Shortland named
them Sir Charles Middleton's Island and Shoal, and imagined they
were joined together.

On the 1st of July, the new coble was finished, and her bottom
payed: her dimensions were twenty-two feet long, by six feet six
inches wide. This business being compleated, the sawyers and
carpenters began to erect a house for Lieutenant Cresswell, of
eighteen feet long, by 12 feet wide, with a back part nine feet
square. The garden in Arthur's Vale being quite exposed and open,
I employed six men to surround it with a wattled hedge.

Edward Gaff, a convict, was punished with 100 lashes on the
6th, for stealing three quarts of wheat: indeed, scarcely a day
passed without complaints being made of thefts, which were
committed with such dexterity that it was impossible to detect
them. That thefts in so small a society should so frequently
happen was really astonishing; but when it is considered, that
the greatest part of that society were hardened villains, the
wonder will cease.

Eleven acres of wheat were now up in Arthur's Vale, and had a
very promising appearance: every vegetable in the gardens were
also in a thriving state.

Nothing material happened in the course of this month until
the 28th, when a tree fell on John Bryant, a convict, which
bruised his head so much that he died two hours afterwards. This
man was one among the very few honest convicts which I had on the
island.

Two bushels of seed wheat, being the remaining part of what I
had left, was sown this day, on the sides of Mount George, on two
acres of ground. Most of the marines who came to the island with
Lieutenant Cresswell, had now very comfortable huts and good
gardens.

In the month of August we had, in general, heavy gales of
wind, chiefly at north-west and south-west, attended with
rain.

The general employment of the convicts was now as follows:

Clearing away ground for cultivation and other necessary work 30
Sawyers sawing scantlings, and boards for buildings 2 2 free.
Carpenters building a house for