. In the afternoon he sent
me a specimen of what had been collected; but it was so brackish that I
gave up all idea of shipping any: he had improvidently dug large holes,
into which all the water good and bad had drained, and thereby the good
was spoiled. The following morning he sent another specimen, which,
notwithstanding it was considerably better, was still too bad to tempt me
to embark any. During the San Antonio's stay at Sims Island, our
gentleman paid it a visit: its vegetation appeared to have suffered as
much from want of rain as Goulburn Island. "The venerable tournefortia
(Tournefortia argentea. Lin.) however, appeared as an exception: this
tree, which grows on the centre of the beach, where it is remarkably
conspicuous, appeared to have resisted the dry state of the season; it
was in full leaf, and covered with a profusion of flowers, which
attracted a variety of insects, particularly of the genera apis, vespa,
and sphex; and among them a beautiful green-coloured chrysis."
(Cunningham manuscripts.)

During the two last days, our people were employed cutting wood; no
natives had made their appearance, although recent tracks on the sand
showed they were not far off; but on the evening of the 7th, the surgeon,
accompanied by Dr. Armstrong of the Dick, landed in that vessel's gig,
and, whilst amusing themselves among the trees, and the boat's crew
incautiously wandering away from the boat, the natives came down, and
would have carried off all the boat's furniture, and everything in her,
had they not been disturbed by the return of one of the sailors with a
musket. They succeeded however, in making a prize of a new boat-cloak,
and the boat-hook, and one of them had nearly succeeded in carrying off
an oar, but upon being fired at, dropped his booty and scampered off.
This trifling loss was deservedly sustained by our gentlemen, for they
were well aware how suddenly the natives have always appeared, and how
mischievously they had on those occasions conducted themselves: they were
also cautioned, when they went on shore to be upon their guard, and it
was fortunate for them that nothing more serious occurred.

July 8.

At daylight, the 8th, the San Antonio rejoined us from Sims Island, and
at eleven o'clock we left the bay, and passed to the eastward of New
Year's Island: the Dick and ourselves then steered to the westward along
the coast, while the San Antonio steered a north-west course, and parted
company.