dined with the governor, as on His Majesty's birth-day.

We began at this time to take equal altitudes for ascertaining
the exact rate of the time-keeper. On the 17th, the governor
directed two boats from the Sirius, with a proper officer in
each, to go up the harbour; one to take the north, the other the
south side; they were to enter every cove in their way up, in
order to ascertain, as exactly as possible, the number of canoes
and natives within the harbour of Port Jackson; for the same
purpose, two other boats went down the harbour; in one of which
the governor went, and I proceeded in the other; in the lower or
north part of the harbour there was a considerable number of
canoes, some of which were then employed in catching fish.

Upon my going round the coves, they all left their work and
pushed with great precipitation for the land, which convinced me
that they were women who were thus employed; as they had always
shown a desire, as much as possible, to avoid us. I did every
thing in my power to prevent their being alarmed, or in any
respect uneasy, by keeping at a distance from them, and making
every friendly signal I could, but to no purpose; for although
there was no other boat in company, they did not seem disposed to
trust us near them: there were many men upon the shore, who spoke
to us in their usual familiar and chearful manner, and invited us
with much apparent earnestness and friendship to come on shore,
which, however, I declined, in order to prosecute the business I
was engaged in; although I own I thought the counting them from
the boat was a very uncertain method of coming at their
numbers.