island: vegetables and fruit were at this time scarce; potatoes,
onions, and pumpkins _only_ were to be had, and those but in
small quantities. It was Captain Phillip's intention, when we
arrived here, to have remained only three or four days, but we
found that the watering of the ships was a business which could
not be completed in so short a time. During our stay, the
watering the ships was our principal consideration, and it was
often unavoidable to be employed in this necessary business on
board the transports after dark; the watering-place being only
contrived to load two boats at a time.

A convict one evening, while every body was employed in
clearing a boat of water, contrived to slip into a small boat,
and dropt away from the ship unperceived; when he got to some
considerable distance off, he then exerted himself at his oars,
and got on board a foreign East-India ship, which was lying here,
and offered himself as a seaman, but was refused; finding himself
disappointed in his hope of getting off in that ship, he judged
it necessary, knowing that he would very soon be missed, and
search made after him, to quit that ship; he landed to the
westward of the town, but on a place where there was a good deal
of surf, and where the rocks behind him were inaccessible. The
officer of marines on board that transport, having ordered the
convicts to be mustered as usual at setting the watch, when they
were always put below, found this man was missing, and immediate
information of it sent to Captain Phillip; who next morning sent
an officer from the Sirius to the governor, requesting his
assistance in recovering the deserter; orders were immediately
given by the governor for that purpose; in the morning early,
boats were dispatched from the ships to row along shore to the