232 
A VOYAGE TO 
[East Coast. 
1802. in the governor's garden until such time as, the objects of the voyage 
July ' being completed, we should be ready to sail for England. 
The ship had never made more than three inches of water in 
an hour, after leaving the Cape of Good Hope ; so that much caulk- 
ing was not required, either within or out board. What was found 
necessary, was finished by the middle of July, at the same time 
with the barricading of the quarter deck; and the masts being then 
new rigged, and holds nearly completed with water and provisions, 
the sails were bent and the ship was painted. On the 2 1st, the last bag 
of bread and turn of water were received, the new whale boat was 
brought off, and we dropped down the harbour ; being then ready 
for going to sea next morning. 
In consequence of the directions given by His Majesty's prin- 
cipal secretary of state for the colonies, the Lady Nelson, a brig of 
sixty tons, commanded by acting-lieutenant John Murray, was 
placed under my orders, as a tender to the Investigator. This vessel 
was fitted with three sliding keels ; and built after the plan of that 
ingenious officer commissioner (now vice-admiral) Schanck. When 
the sliding keels were up, the Lady Nelson drew no more than six 
feet water ; and was therefore peculiarly adapted for going up rivers, 
or other shallow places which it might be dangerous, or impossible 
for the ship to enter. Mr. Murray's crew was mostly composed of 
convicts ; and having no officer in whom he could place entire con- 
fidence, I lent to him Mr. Denis Lacy, one of my young gentlemen 
acquainted with tbe management of a time keeper, to act as his 
chief mate. 
The price of fresh meat at Port Jackson was so exorbitant, 
that it was impossible to think of purchasing it on the public account. 
I obtained one quarter of beef for the ship's company, in exchange 
for salt meat, and the governor furnished us with some baskets of 
vegetables from his garden ; and in lieu of the daily pound of biscuit, 
each man received a pound and a quarter of soft bread, without any 
