r, all of which have vanished. The party caught and
shot 5 pairs of swans, out of which 3 pairs were young, and brought on
board alive, the others were old and we made some fresh meals from them;
they also brought on board a pair of young geese which however are very
scarce, but few parrots--the ducks are as shy as ever...At 3 P.M. sent
the second mate to Churchill's Island to cut down the wheat on purpose to
feed the young swans with it, at sundown they returned on board with it
in the whole perhaps a bushel in quantity with a good deal mixed with
oats and barley all fine of their kind--some potatoes were also found and
2 onions. At 8 A.M. the launch returned with a load of water, the officer
reported that George Yates had gone to sleep on watch, left the launch
deep loaded in imminent danger of being swamped as the tide rose, and
moreover the whole boat's crew in danger of being surprised by natives if
any should be about, for which crimes I punished him with two dozen
lashes this being an old offence of his--I pardoned him three different
times some time back for sleeping on his watch at Sydney...

"Friday, 11th December. The very favourable weather we have had since our
arrival here is to be thanked for enabling us to so soon fill our water
as I expected this business would have detained me 9 or 10 days. At noon
ran over to Lady Nelson's Point and there anchored in the mouth of Salt
Water Lagoon--7 fathoms.

"Saturday, 12th December. Sent the first mate up Salt Water Lagoon to get
swans; he, however, found none but in afternoon and evening shot two
large ones at Lady Nelson's Point. P.M. Having discovered that Robert
Warren had laid an infamous plan to get the first mate, Mr. Bowen, broke
and otherwise disgraced by acquainting me and all the company belonging
to the vessel that he was a notorious thief and embezzler of King's
stores, I, upon the fullest and clearest investigation of the matter,
finding it to be a most diabolical falsehood put Warren in double irons
intending to deliver him up to the rigour of the civil law on our arrival
at Sydney should a speedier way of sending him not occur during the
cruise. A.M. Sent the first mate to the north-west Branch in the gig to
look for water swans and birds.

"Sunday, 13th December. At 8 A.M. the first mate returned in the gig
having shot 9 large and small swans, the large ones when fit for use
weighed 8 and 9 pounds each. At sunset native fires on ye distant hills.