116 



Account of the Operations 



[July 



to load. Put poles into the holes to mark their position, and returned. 

 The party at the small channel had removed some large fragments of 

 rock with greater ease than before, by means of the windlass received 

 from Ceylon ; this also obviates the necessity of the men being any 

 length of time in the water. New work-shop finished, and the second 

 raft nearly completed. 



28th. The raft again proceeded to the great channel, and succeeded 

 in boring six more holes in the rock. At 12 o'clock commenced loading 

 but the tide rose so rapidly, and the sea becoming rough, were obliged 

 to postpone the firing till to-morrow. Party on shore erecting a hut for 

 the seamen, and twenty-two men in the small channel, who removed in 

 the course of the day about twenty tons of stones ; ten more holes pre- 

 pared for blasting. The health of the men has appeared to improve ; 

 there are at present only six in hospital, a decrease of seven since the 

 middle of the month ; they have been less in the water than before. 



March 1st. The great raft proceeded to the main channel at seven 

 a. m. and by 11 had seven holes ready for loading 5 they were instant- 

 ly charged and fired, six with very good effect j the charges were con- 

 tained in leather bags, and Bickford's hose burnt with its usual certain- 

 ty. One failed, from the fuse being cut by a stone, but the powder was 

 taken up on the following day perfectly dry. Another raft was nearly 

 finished ; half the party still employed on the small channel, and the 

 convicts in bringing coco-anut trees from some distance. 



2d. The breeze was strong from the N. E. and tire sea high in the 

 main stream ; the decked canoes rode perfectly well, but the progress 

 was slow, as the divers could not work at the bottom owing to the 

 strength of the current ; only five holes were bored and three were 

 loaded and fired. The weighing boat brought up some tons of stone, 

 but could not work after 11 a. m, from the force of the current and 

 wind. Fourteen men were permanently attached to the weighing 

 boat ; some large stones were brought up with apparent ease, and 

 lashed on the sides, after which they were cut aw T ay at about 100 yards 

 from the channel. 



Though our progress in the principal object of deepening the main 

 channel has as yet been trifling, in fact is just commenced, the results 

 are such, as to leave no doubt regarding the ultimate success of the 

 w r ork, and, in the mean time, the small channel has been rendered 

 much more practicable than formerly, and, when completed, will be of 

 little less importance than the main one. It is not included in the pre- 

 sent project, but forms a necessary part of the undertaking, vessels 

 being subject to more delay, waiting to re-ship their cargoes, than in 

 passing the reef. 



