July 5.
On the 5th, at daylight, Goulburn Islands were seen, and at nine o'clock we passed through the strait that divides them; our track being half a mile more to the northward than that of last year, we had more regular soundings.
As soon as we anchored in South-West Bay, I sent on shore to examine our former watering-place, but found that the stream had failed. The parched up appearance of the island showed that the last had been an unusually dry season; every place that, even in the month of August, six weeks later, had before yielded large quantities, as well as the lagoon behind the beach, which, from the nature of the plants growing in it, was conjectured to be a never-failing supply, was now dried up.
July 6 to 8.
The next morning the brig's boat went over to Sims Island with Mr. Cunningham, and there found a small quantity of water, sufficient, according to Mr. Hemmans' report, for all our wants. The next morning (7th) he moved the San Antonio over to the island, and anchoring her off the sandy beach, landed his people to dig holes. In the afternoon he sent me a specimen of what had been collected; but it was so brackish that I gave up all idea of shipping any: he had improvidently dug large holes, into which all the water good and bad had drained, and thereby the good was spoiled. The following morning he sent another specimen, which, notwithstanding it was considerably better, was still too bad to tempt me to embark any. During the San Antonio's stay at Sims Island, our gentleman paid it a visit: its vegetation appeared to have suffered as much from want of rain as Goulburn Island. "The venerable tournefortia (Tournefortia argentea. Lin.) however, appeared as an exception: this tree, which grows on the centre of the beach, where it is remarkably conspicuous, appeared to have resisted the dry state of the season; it was in full leaf, and covered with a profusion of flowers, which attracted a variety of insects, particularly of the genera apis, vespa, and sphex; and among them a beautiful green-coloured chrysis." (Cunningham manuscripts.)
During the two last days, our people were employed cutting wood; no natives had made their appearance, although recent tracks on the sand showed they were not far off; but on the evening of the 7th, the surgeon, accompanied by Dr. Armstrong of the Dick, landed in that vessel's gig, and, whilst amusing themselves among the trees, and the boat's crew incautiously wandering away from the boat, the natives came down, and would have carried off all the boat's furniture, and everything in her, had they not been disturbed by the return of one of the sailors with a musket. They succeeded however, in making a prize of a new boat-cloak, and the boat-hook, and one of them had nearly succeeded in carrying off an oar, but upon being fired at, dropped his booty and scampered off. This trifling loss was deservedly sustained by our gentlemen, for they were well aware how suddenly the natives have always appeared, and how mischievously they had on those occasions conducted themselves: they were also cautioned, when they went on shore to be upon their guard, and it was fortunate for them that nothing more serious occurred.
July 8.
At daylight, the 8th, the San Antonio rejoined us from Sims Island, and at eleven o'clock we left the bay, and passed to the eastward of New Year's Island: the Dick and ourselves then steered to the westward along the coast, while the San Antonio steered a north-west course, and parted company.
July 9.
The following day, being in sight of the land of Cape Van Diemen, and having sent our letters on board the Dick for conveyance to England, we parted company by an interchange of three cheers; and it was not without a considerable degree of regret that we took this leave of our friends; for it is but due to Mr. Harrison to say that we received very great assistance from him on several occasions: he offered us his stream anchor to replace in some degree our loss, although he had himself only one left; it was, however, much too small for our purpose.