36 6 
Account of 
boatman. He was accompanied by two men, Smith, 
the Commandant’s second coxswain, and Johnstone, one 
of the boat’s crew. 
The boat appeared to sail well, although the weather 
was very unfavourable ; and in a squall which caught 
her between the small island and the settlement she sud¬ 
denly went down. The Commandant and Lieutenant 
Champ saw the accident; several boats put off, but, alas ! 
to no purpose. Mr. Lusk’s cap and one oar were all 
that was found. 
The next day the body of Smith was brought up, but 
dreadfully disfigured by the fish : no traces of Mr. Lusk 
or of Johnstone were ever discovered. The boat was 
weighed some few days after. 
It is a curious fact that, some time after this melancholy 
event, one of the soldiers, a man of weak mind, whilst on 
sentry at night near the dock-yard, stated, when he was 
relieved, that he had seen Charles Smith come from the 
water-side,—that he challenged him, but received no 
answer,—that he could not fire at him for fright,—that 
lie saw him go into the boat’s crew hut, come out again, 
and disappear at the water-side. This story set all the 
island almost on the look-out for ghosts and apparitions. 
On the 21st June, 1829, Captain (now Major) Briggs, 
of the 63rd regiment, arrived as Commandant, after a 
passage of nine weeks from Hobart Town; and Captain 
Butler, much to the regret of all the persons who had the 
pleasure to serve under him, returned to head quarters, 
to join his regiment for India. 
The most remarkable event affecting the settlement 
during Captain Briggs’ command, was the piratical 
seizure of the government brig Cyprus at Recherche 
Bay, on her passage with prisoners and provisions to 
Macquarie Harbour. This vessel had been expected 
some time at the settlement, as the stock of provisions 
