COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
225 
a succession of heavy westerly gales, in which I822. 
the brig was occasionally much pressed ; and it Oct. 6. 
was not until the 8th of November that we made Nov. 8. 
Bald Island, which is to the eastward of King 
George’s Sound. We were now much in need 
of a place to caulk the bends, as well as to 
repair some temporary damage to the rigging, 
and complete our wood and water. I therefore 
seized the opportunity of our being near the 
sound, and, steering into it, anchored off the 
sandy bay within Seal Island, and immediate- 
ly commenced operations. We were, however, 
much delayed by hard westerly gales, which 
not only prevented the carpenter’s caulking, but 
also delayed our watering, , since the boat could 
not pull to the shore ; but as the anchorage was 
well sheltered, we suffered no further inconveni- 
ence than the delay. 
A few days after our arrival, we were sur- 
prised by the appearance of a strange vessel 
beating into the sound; she proved to be an 
American schooner on a sealing voyage, and was 
coming in for the purpose of careening and clean- 
ing the vessel’s bottom in Oyster Harbour. The 
natives also made their appearance, and some of 
them being our old friends, immediately recog- 
nised us. 
As there was no wood convenient to our an- 
VoL. II. Q 
