194 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [December, 



The mafter of this veffel had obferved, when about the South Cape 

 of this country, that the weather was clear ; but after paffing the latitude 

 of the Maria Iflands, he found it clofe, hazy, and heated, and having: 

 every appearance of thick fmoke. About that time they had at Port 

 Jackfon much the fame kind of weather ; and the excefTive heats- 

 which at other times were experienced in that fettlement, had alfo 

 been noticed by thofe at fea, when at fome diftance from land. 



A few days after the arrival of the Hope, the Chefterfield whaler 

 anchored in the Cove. The mafter faid that he had touched at Ker- 

 guelanV Land, where, fome other fhip having recently preceded 

 him, (which he judged from finding feveral fea-elephants dead on the 

 beach, and a club which is ufed in killing them,) he remained but a 

 fhort time, having very bad weather. He fuppofed the fhip which 

 preceded him, to have been the firft that had vifited thofe defolate 

 iflands fince Captain Cook had been there, as he found the fragments 

 of the bottle in which that officer had depofited a memorial of his 

 having examined them. This was conjecture, and might be erro- 

 neous, as the mere pieces of ths bottle afforded no proof that it had 

 been recently broken. 



This gentleman's veffel was in fuch want of repair, as to make it 

 matter of wonder how {he had fwam fo far, particularly as her com- 

 plaints appeared to have been of long {landing. 



During this month, two warrants of emancipation were granted 3 , 

 together with twenty-five acres of land to Enfign Cummings, of the 

 New South Wales corps* In the inftru&ions for granting lands in that 

 country, no mention of officers had yet been made ; it was, however,, 

 fairly prefumed, that the officers could not be intended to be precluded: 

 from the participation of any advantages which the crown might have 

 to beftow in the fettlements; particularly as the greater!: in its gift, the 

 free poffeffion of land, was held out to people who had forfeited 

 their lives before they were rent into that country. 



Among the regulations which took place at Sydney, muft be noticed 

 4he difpenfing with the officer's guard which had always mounted 



there. 



