each side of the stern-post; by which method the injury
appeared to be so well repaired that we had no fears for our safety if
the weather should be but moderately fine.

September 28.

These repairs were completed by the 28th but, just as we were
congratulating ourselves upon having performed them, a fresh defect was
discovered which threatened more alarming consequences even than the
other: upon stripping off some sheets of copper, the spike nails which
fastened the planks were found to be decaying; and many were so entirely
decomposed by oxidation that a straw was easily thrust through the vacant
holes. As we had not nails enough to replace the copper, for that was now
our only security, we could not venture to remove more than a few sheets
from those parts which appeared to be the most suspicious, under all of
which we found the nails so defective that we had reason to fear we might
start some planks before we reached Port Jackson, the consequence of
which would unquestionably be fatal to the vessel and our lives. All that
we could do to remedy the defect was to caulk the water-ways and counter,
and to nail an additional streak of copper a foot higher than before.
This further temporary repair was finished by the 30th.

1820. October 5.

But we were detained until the 5th of October before the tide rose high
enough to float the cutter.

During the time that the carpenter was thus occupied all the crew were
employed either in assisting him or in cutting wood and filling water; so
that I had no opportunity either of visiting the surrounding islands or
of examining the country in the vicinity of the bay: but when the repairs
were completed and the people were more at leisure I made an excursion as
far as Bat Island, off Cape Brewster.

From the summit of this island a set of bearings was obtained,
particularly of the islands to the northward and westward. The ascent, on
account of its steep and rugged nature, was very difficult and even
dangerous, for the stones were so loose and decomposed that no solid
footing could be found. The top of the rock is covered with a thick brush
of Acacia leucophoea (of Lacrosse Island) many trees of which were
obliged to be cut down or cleared away before the various objects could
be seen from the theodolite. Mr. Cunningham collected here specimens of
eighteen different sorts of plants.

Bat Island is a mass of sandstone superincumbent upon a quartzose basis
and intersected by n