"Tuesday, February 23rd. I went in the launch and sounded a few miles of
the Port up towards the watering place. The soundings were 9 feet to 6
fathoms, bottom fine sand, further out perhaps a deeper channel may exist
(this will be ascertained in the survey). Afterwards we walked through
the country some distance, found the soil invariably good, the ground
almost clear and the ranges of trees as regular as they are in general in
the Park, with fine strong short grass underfoot.
"Wednesday, February 24th. First part of these 24 hours had a great deal
of thunder and lightning and rain, middle and latter parts it blew a hard
gale at south-west with squalls at intervals. We held on although all
ataunto with the small bower and one-third of a cable out, a proof of the
goodness of the holding ground.
"Thursday, February 25th. First part the gale continued, latter fair
winds. Observed several very large native fires at the foot of Arthur's
Seat and on the western side of the port, hauled our seine several times
along the shore nearest us but caught no fish owing probably to there
being flats of sand lying off them to the distance of 200 yards.
"Friday, February 26th. Examined the beach and land for about 8 miles.
A.M. Sent our long boat on shore, turned her up and set our carpenter to
work on her, she leaking so much as to keep a hand constantly bailing,
and our small boat is so bad as to render it hazardous to go any distance
from the vessel in her.
"Saturday, February 27th. Fine weather and moderate winds. Both boats
sounding and on survey of harbour. A number of very large native fires on
the hills round the eastern and western shores of the Port have been seen
these two days past. Sent Mr. Bowen and Mr. Brabyn in the gig to get the
Latitude of the north end of Swan Isles and at noon I got the Latitude of
a point about 7 miles North and South of them from which a base line was
got for the survey of the harbour.
"Sunday, February 28th. Gave some of the people liberty on shore.
"Monday, March 1st. At 5 A.M. took up our kedge, hove short, loosed sails
and sheeted home the top-sails, weighed and made sail up the port,
intending to run as high as the watering place. The wind in a little time
flied away and the tide ran so rapid as to sweep the vessel on a shoal of
sand with only 5 feet of water on it, as it was perfectly smooth we
immediately hove her off without her sustaining the least damage and
dropped back into our old berth between Point Paterson and Bowen's Point
so named from Mr. Bowen's skirmish with the natives in it.
