stowage. The small boat would still, therefore, be necessary, and she was
accordingly re-laid, for half the dimensions of the large boat, and in
three days was alongside her consort in the river. Thus, in seven days we
had put together a boat, twenty-seven feet in length, had felled a tree
from the forest, with which we had built a second of half the size, had
painted both, and had them at a temporary wharf ready for loading. Such
would not have been the case had not our hearts been in the work, as the
weather was close and sultry, and we found it a task of extreme labour.
In the intervals between the hours of work, I prepared my despatches for
the Governor, and when they were closed, it only remained for me to select
six hands, the number I intended should accompany me down the river, and
to load the boats, ere we should once more proceed in the further
obedience of our instructions.

COMPLETION OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR EMBARKATION.

It was impossible that I could do without Clayton, whose perseverance and
industry had mainly contributed to the building of the boats; of the other
prisoners, I chose Mulholland and Macnamee; leaving the rest in charge
of Robert Harris, whose steady conduct had merited my approbation. My
servant, Harris, Hopkinson, and Fraser, of course, made up the crews.
The boats were loaded in the evening of Jan. 6th, as it had been
necessary to give the paint a little time to dry. On the 4th, I had sent
Clayton and Mulholland to the nearest cypress range for a mast and spar,
and on the evening of that day some blacks had visited us; but they sat on
the bank of the river, preserving a most determined silence; and, at
length, left us abruptly, and apparently in great ill humour. In the
disposition of the loads, I placed all the flour, the tea, and tobacco,
in the whaleboat. The meat-casks, still, and carpenters' tools, were put
into the small boat.