Some Superintendents Who Had Arrived In The Fleet,
And Were Hired By Government For The Purpose Of Overlooking And Directing
The Convicts, Were Found Extremely Serviceable In Accelerating The Progress
Of Improvement.
July, 1790.
This month was marked by nothing worth communication,
except a melancholy accident which befell a young gentleman of amiable
character (one of the midshipmen lately belonging to the 'Sirius')
and two marines. He was in a small boat, with three marines, in the harbour,
when a whale was seen near them. Sensible of their danger, they used
every effort to avoid the cause of it, by rowing in a contrary direction
from that which the fish seemed to take, but the monster suddenly arose
close to them, and nearly filled the boat with water. By exerting themselves,
they baled her out, and again steered from it. For some time it was not seen,
and they conceived themselves safe, when, rising immediately under the boat,
it lifted her to the height of many yards on its back, whence slipping off,
she dropped as from a precipice, and immediately filled and sunk.
The midshipman and one of the marines were sucked into the vortex which
the whale had made, and disappeared at once. The two other marines swam
for the nearest shore, but one only reached it, to recount the fate
of his companions.
August, 1790. In the beginning of this month, in company with Mr. Dawes
and Mr. Worgan, late surgeon of the 'Sirius', I undertook an expedition
to the southward and westward of Rose Hill, where the country had never
been explored.
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