purpose they were so frequently lighted, at this time of the
year; but in going down the harbour one day, with an intention to
get upon the North Head, for the purpose of ascertaining its
exact latitude, we observed on a hill near that point, one of
those large fires, which (with the first lieutenant and surgeon
who were with me) we determined to visit; and as we thought it
might probably be some funeral ceremony, which we were very
desirous of seeing, we took our guns, and intended getting up
amongst them unperceived; but when we arrived at the place, to
our very great disappointment, not a person was to be seen: I
believe there were not less than three or four acres of ground
all in a blaze; we then conjectured that these fires were made
for the purpose of clearing the ground of the shrubs and
underwood, by which means they might with greater ease get at
those roots which appear to be a great part of their subsistence
during the winter. We had observed that they generally took the
advantage of windy weather for making such fires, which would of
course occasion their spreading over a greater extent of
ground.

On the 14th of July four transports, under the command of
Lieutenant Shortland, sailed for England; they intended going to
the northward, and passing through the streights of Macassar and
Sunda, the season being too early either to attempt going round
Van Diemen's land, and to endeavour to get to the westward by
that tract, or to go to the eastward by Cape Horn.

The 12th of August being the birth-day of His Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales, a salute of 21 guns was fired from the
Sirius and Supply, and the officers of the settlement and ships