VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES. 
ings and windings. Indeed, fome of them came fo near the 
furface, that we frequently attempted to ftrike them with 
a pair of grains. 
1 8th. Being informed that feveral of the mariners and 
eonvidts on board the Alexander were fuddenly taken ill, I 
immediately vifited that fhip, and found that the illnefs 
complained of was wholly occafioned by the bilge water, 
which had by fome means or other rifen to fo great a height, 
that the pannels of the cabin, and the buttons on the clothes 
of the officers, were turned nearly black, by the noxious 
effluvia. When the hatches were taken off, the ftench was. 
fo powerful, that it was fcarcely poffible to ftand over them. 
How it could have got to this height is very ftrange ; for 
I well know, that Captain Phillip gave ftridl orders (which- 
orders I myfelf delivered) to the mafters of the tranfports to 
pump the fhips out daily, in order to keep them fweet and 
wholefome ; and it was added, that if the fhips did not 
make water enough for that purpofe, they were to employ 
the convids in throwing water into the well, and pumping 
it out again, until it became clear and unting^. The 
people's health, however, being endangered by the circum- 
ftance, I found a reprefeatation upon the fubjedt to Captain 
Phillip 
