214 HISTORY OF 



it being known in the colony, that a quan- 

 tity of this article had been saved, and that the 

 island abounded with kangaroos and birds, he 

 thought these circumstances would not only 

 have led to desertions and captures of boats 

 which had been effected, but likely to prove 

 temptations to similar practices ; he therefore 

 agreed to purchase 3500 gallons of the rum 

 of Capt. Hamilton, on account of Govern- 

 ment. 



Capt. Hamilton said, that of the other articles 

 taken on shore from the wreck, a small quantity 

 bf coarse cloth only had been preserved, as the 

 remainder was destroyed by wind and bad 

 weather. The wreck was quite washed away. 

 Of the six lascars who were left with the pro- 

 perty, one died ; the five were in good health. 

 Capt. Hamilton left a cow, which died ; but a 

 mare was brought away in the Francis. The 

 Lascars had lived by killing kangaroos and 

 birds. They had erected a smoke-house, and 

 <ured meat enough to serve them the ensuing 

 winter. These people, provided only with a small 

 boat, made several excursions ; and it appeared 

 that this part of the coast of New South Wales 

 was formed by a group of islands, reaching as 

 far as they had seen to the Westward. From 

 these, and observations he had made when on 

 that part himselfj the Governor conceived it 

 highly probable that there were many passages 

 or straits through to the ocean westward, mak- 

 ing Van Diemen's land, the Southernmost part 

 of New South Wales, an island, 



