occasion to answer our musquets, when it
struck fire every time he wished to answer us, otherwise, in all
probability, we should not have found him. This is exactly his
own account.

In the end of August, the governor having expressed a wish to
have a survey made of Broken-Bay and Botany-Bay, I offered to
perform that service. The Sirius had some time ago been removed
from Sydney Cove, to a cove on the north side of the harbour,
much more convenient for giving her those repairs of which she
now stood so much in need. The carpenter and his crew, who had
been employed on shore upon the business of the settlement, ever
since our return from the last voyage, were now ordered on board,
to attend the repairs of the ship; a temporary wharf was built by
the ship's company, and a piece of ground levelled to receive the
provisions and stores: every person was now employed in
lightening the ship, and in cutting down timber for the repairs
wanted.

A survey upon the defects of the ship was ordered by Captain
Phillip, and she was reported to be very weak in her upper works;
several bolts were decayed under her wales, which occasioned her
making much water at sea; and that it was absolutely necessary to
examine as many of the butt bolts as possible: it was also
thought necessary to fix seven pair of top riders on each side,
to strengthen her upper works; various other defects were given
in.

While the ship's company were employed in lightening the ship,
and the carpenters were cutting down timber for riders and plank,
I determined, before any thing material in the repairs was set
about, to go round and make a survey of Broken-Bay: in this
excursion I was accompanied by several gentlemen of the
settlement; the boats were dispatched round, under the care of
Lieutenant Bradley, by whom, and Lieutenant Ball, of the Supply,
I was assisted in this work: the party went by land, but as I
wished also to make a sketch of the coast between the two
harbours, we determined to be two days on the journey, and to lye
all night in the woods. After taking a sketch of the coast, we
arrived at Pitt-Water, and joined the boats in the afternoon of
the second day. We visited all those parts, which are navigable
for shipping, and having before very particularly sounded and
examined all the branches here, the business was finished in
little more than a fortnight. Mr. Bradley returned with the
boats, and we walked along shore to Port Jackson.

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