At noon Cape How bore West distance
7 or 8 leagues.
"Saturday, 14th November. Light airs inclinable to calm, a very heavy sea
from south-west. At sundown Cape How bore north-west distant about 7
leagues...We hauled in for the land this morning, the Longitude by
Governor King's timekeeper was 149 degrees 30 minutes 45 seconds east,
Latitude by anticipation 38 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds south. At noon
calm fine weather. Latitude observed 38 degrees 06 minutes 43 seconds
south.
"Sunday, 15th November. Moderate fine weather and smooth water...At 9
A.M. we had a curious squall at every point of the compass, it did not
blow very hard and seemed to settle in the south-east quarter.
"Monday, 16th November. At half-past 5 P.M. saw a thunder squall rising
in western quarter. The squall passed over the land and thundered a good
deal with much lightning, at half-past 7 it took a north-west turn and at
8 P.M. passed over our heads, though with no great deal of wind...In the
morning made sail...Latitude 38 degrees 32 minutes south.
"Thursday, 19th November. Moderate and hazy. At 6 A.M. saw Kent's Group
bearing south-west distances 8 or 9 leagues - their appearance was like a
great number of small islands being nearly south-east and north-west; at
8 A.M. the easternmost island of Kent's Group and the largest bore
south-south-west distance 7 or 8 leagues. At 9 A.M. the whole chain of
islands, 13 in number, bore from south by west to west the large island
as above.
"Friday, 20th November. Light variable winds and fine weather. Kept
working up to the land but were surprised to find that instead of being a
small group of islands, ye body of the land was very large and whatever
appeared as islands began to connect itself into one island, the latitude
not agreeing with Lieutenant Flinders, concluded it could not be Kent's
Group. Kept working up to it and by daylight was within 5 miles of ye
northernmost island, passed close to it and seeing an immense number of
birds on it sent the boat on shore to procure some; in a short time after
this I saw a smoke arise from the small island just passed, sent ye boat
and ye first mate there where they found two men, one woman and a child,
of Henry Kable's employ; assisted them as well as we could - by noon
worked into a good harbour and moored between Storehouse and Cat
Island - got the Latitude by going on shore 39 degrees 57 minutes 46
seconds south. When moored, the Grand Capshine bore west-north-west
distant 1/2 mile - Cat Island bore north by east 1/4 mile and Storehouse
Island south-east quarter of a mile. Cape Barren the east point south 1/2
east distant 25 miles.
"Saturday, 21st November. Employed taking on stone for ballast. Carpenter
fitting places for sweeps to row in and on the longboat. P.M. Broke
Farmer Barnes for contempt and disobedience of orders. Rated Robert
Warren boatswain's mate in his room. A.M. Sent the first mate and a party
of hands (with one of the people found here) and some dogs to get
kangaroo being informed that great plenty was to be found in the country.
"Sunday, 22nd November. The first officer and his party returned on
board; they shot 2 wambucks,* (* Presumably wombats.) a kangaroo, a
porcupine, a swan and some birds - in the evening sent the second mate and
some hands on shore to get mutton-birds, and eggs. On account of the
great plenty of fresh provisions served no salt meat this day. I went and
measured a base line from the south end of Storehouse Island due East and
West 2 miles to a point on ye Grand Capshine and from thence surveyed
this harbour more for the sake of practice than any use it could be, this
place being well-known by the name Diana Bay.
"Monday, 23rd November. At 6 P.M. sent party on shore with the first mate
to procure mutton-birds for officers and people. At 9 P.M. the officer
and party returned on board, having got near 100 birds and some eggs. As
I was at supper, I received the following note from R.B. Wood my clerk:
"'SIR, - Under the unfortunate situation in which I am placed as a
prisoner and a convict it may appear strange my presumption in observing
that something serious I wish to communicate to you. Pardon me saying
that secrecy is requisite - and that after you have supped and alone will
be best. I am, Sir, Your humble servant,
"'R.B. WOOD.'
"On receiving this, a little time after, I sent for him and he informed
me that he had seen Mark Clark, soldier, and Robert Warren, who was only
two days ago rated boatswain's mate, pumping off spirits from a cask in
the hold; that he suspected this business had been carried on for some
time and believed more than those might be concerned. In addition John
Johnston, cabin servant, informed me that he had seen a number of the
people at different times half drunk when on their watch below; in
consequence of these circumstances I turned the hands on deck and read
the Articles of War to them, put Mark Clark, Robert Warren and Farmer
Barnes in irons, he being drunk; and in the morning I hoisted on deck all
the casks of spirits, overhauled them and found one with the bung just
out and about 4 1/2 inches dry in it; nailed lead over the bung and
tossed them below again. On questioning Clark on this affair he confessed
that he and Warren had pumped spirits out of the cask last night, and
George Yates informed me that Warren had made a practice of it for some
time back.
