"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. On investigating the matter closer it appeared that Barnes had nothing to do with it. I accordingly released Barnes and again rated him boatswain's mate—turned the hands up and punished Robert Warren with four dozen lashes for robbery, drunkenness, etc., and Mark Clark with one dozen lashes only as it appeared that he had been prompted to this when drunk.
"Tuesday, 24th November. First and middle parts fine weather and mostly calm, latter hazy. Half-past 9 anchor and made sail out between the Grand Capshine and Cat Island, hoisted up our gig and stowe her. At 10 A.M. Cat Island bore south-east distant 5 miles and the peak of the Grand Capshine south-south-east distant 6 miles. At noon the Grand Capshine bore south-east distant 16 or 17 miles and the west end of ye Sisters west by south distant 8 or 9 miles. The harbour we have just left is formed by the Grand Capshine Island, Cat Island and Storehouse Island. Between the Grand Capshine and Cat Island is a narrow channel with deep water through which we came to-day—it lies about north-west by north a few hundred yards. Between Cat Island and Storehouse Island is a two-fathom channel, one-sixth of a mile broad through which Kable's schooner has passed to the South. The harbour is very open and a good deal of sea heaves in, but small vessels can up anchor and just run round to the opposite side of Cat Island—there is a snug cove entirely secure from all southerly winds where they may anchor, taking care to be off from this last place, if the wind comes from the northward. From the Grand Capshine the land trends away in a south-east and south direction as far as Cape Barren; from where we lay the Bay of Shoals bore south by west distant 15 miles. A vessel of a large draught would have to lie a good deal further out in the Bay than we, as we rode in one quarter less than 3 fathoms.