nd
one of them had a superficial knowledge of navigation.

The Admiral Barrington arrived on the 16th of October. This
ship brought out a captain, three noncommissioned officers, and
twenty-four privates of the New South Wales corps, with two
hundred and sixty-four male convicts: four women came out with
their husbands, who were convicts, and two children. Ninety-seven
were sick on board this ship.

The whole number of convicts embarked on board the ten
transports, including thirty in the Gorgon, were one thousand six
hundred and ninety-five males, sixty-eight females, and eleven
children; of whom, one hundred and ninety-four males, four
females, and one child died on the passage.

What provisions were in the store, added to those which were
brought out in these transports, would not furnish many months
provisions for this colony; Governor Phillip, therefore, took the
Atlantic into the service as a naval transport.

The Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Island, Captain Paterson,
of the New South Wales corps, with part of his company,
twenty-nine marines who had been discharged to become settlers;
several convicts, whose time of transportation being expired,
were admitted as settlers, with thirty-three male, and twelve
female convicts, and a considerable quantity of stores and
provisions were embarked on board the Atlantic, for Norfolk
Island, under the direction of Lieutenant Bowen, as naval agent;
who, after landing what he had on board for the island, had
orders to proceed to Calcutta, where he was to load with
provisions for the colony.

The great number of spermaceti whales that had been seen on
the coast of New South Wales, induced the masters of those
vessels which were fitted out for that fishery, and intended,
after landing the convicts, to proceed to the north-west coast of
America, to try for a cargo here: indeed, the master of the
Britannia, a vessel belonging to Messieurs Enderbys, of London,
who have the merit of being the first that adventured to the
South Seas for whales, assured Governor Phillip, that he had seen
more spermaceti whales in his passage from the south cape to Port
Jackson, than he had ever seen on the Brazil coast, although he
had been six years on that fishery.

No time was lost by the masters of these ships in getting
ready for sea: the Britannia sailed on the 25th of October, in
company with the William and Ann: the Mary Ann and the Matilda
sailed the day before, and the Salamand