1825.] 
27th, 28th, and 29th. — Parties em- 
ployed in every quarter in search of 
fresh water, sinking wells on Melville 
and Bathurst Islands, exploring the 
country, and surveying the coast ; but 
up to this time, as far as related to fresh 
water, without success, until the even- 
ing of the 29th, when Captain Bremer 
discovered a fresh-water stream in a 
bay, distance from Luxmore Head 
about seven or eight miles, which af- 
forded an ample supply; and in conse- 
quence of which the ship was removed 
from her present anchorage to a small 
bay, which was called King’s Bay, in 
honour of Captain King, the first dis- 
coverer of these islands. 
Thursday, 30th.— Finding our new 
situation, in point of anchorage and 
fresh water, most eligible; and being 
close to a desirable point of high land 
to commence a new settlement on, and 
it being on a breast of Harris’s Island, 
which may be easily put in a state of 
defence, and which lies nearly midway 
between Melville and Bathurst Islands, 
was fixed on as the most proper place 
to begin operations. 
The south point of this high land 
was named Point Barlow, after Captain 
Barlow of the 33d regiment, who is to 
remain commandant of the island; Har- 
ris’s Island bearing south twenty-seven 
west from the ship, and the north part 
of Bathurst Island, named Cape Brace, 
bearing thirty-eight thirty west,» the 
whole anchorage, named Port Cock- 
burn, in honour of Vice-Admiral Sir 
George Cockburn, one of the Lords’ 
Commissioners of the Admiralty. 
The whole strength of the expedition 
was now directed to this point, clearing 
the land to set up houses, build forts, 
and make other necessary prepara- 
tions. 
3d October.—A sufficient space being 
cleared, the fort was laid out and begun. 
A well for the use of the garrison was 
also commenced ; as was likewise a gar- 
den, on a point near the fresh-water 
stream, which has been called Garden 
Point: small parties were employed in 
surveying, exploring the country, and 
gardening. This day, Serjeant Stewart 
of the 3d regt., and a black prisoner 
—a convict, lost themselves in the 
woods on a shooting party. The latter 
has not been since heard of; but the 
serjeant got back, nearly exhausted, 
A wharf for the convenience of land- 
ing the heayy stores from the ships, 
was taken in hand on the fourth, and a 
second garden close to the fort, on the 
Voyage to Australia, &c. 
219 
same day ; and small parties were em- 
ployed as before. 
On the 5th, two houses that were 
sent in frame, from Sydney, for the use 
of the officers composing the garrison, 
were landed, and began to be set up. 
Boats were sent to haul the Seine every 
morning, generally with little success, 
By this time the whole of the works 
were going on rapidly ; the soldiers, 
marines and convicts, as they could be 
spared, building comfortable huts for 
themselves, on a high ridge, in a line 
with the beach. This row they christen- 
ed Barrack-street. Indeed, it was truly 
astonishing to see with what rapidity 
they got them up, and covered them in. 
The Commissariat store-house, sixty 
feet long by eighteen wide, was laid: out 
on the 6th, sailors, marines, artificers, 
&e. employed on the various works, 
boats surveying, exploring, &c. &e. 
From this time forward the different 
works were carried on with wonderful 
celerity ; every one, from the captain to, 
the lowest man in the expedition, seem- 
ed to vie with each other, in carrying 
on the service of the respective depart- 
ments. It was really astonishing how 
they supported such constant hard 
labour under a vertical sun. 
The pier, an extraordinary piece of 
work, was completed on the 19th: it is 
sixty-four feet long, fourteen feet wide, | 
and thirteen feet high, at the end next 
low-water mark, and is built of enor- 
mous pieces of timber, bolted at each 
end; and the interstices filled with 
masses of sand-stone rock ; and from 
the quality of the materials, and the 
judgment with which it was planned 
and executed, will, no doubt, last many 
years: the greatest credit is due to the 
exertions of the young officer (J. C.. 
Sicklemore) who had the superintend- 
ance of building it, from whose judi- 
cious partition of the labour, and his 
great zeal, every difficulty was over- 
come, and the pier finished in sixteen 
days. 
The wharf being completed, afforded 
additional strength to those employed 
onthe other works; the fort advancedra- 
pidly, and the officers’ houses were near- 
ly completed; the commissariat store- 
house, forges, people’s huts, &c., in a 
form and state, and a considerable piece: 
of land cleared both at the fort and at 
Garden Point, by the 20th. 
Thursday, 2\st of October.—Being: 
the anniversary of the battle of Trafal- 
gar, and the fort being in a proper state 
to receive some of the guns which we: 
F2 had 
