island since we left this harbour as the seals were as plentiful as ever
and several thousand pups lying on shore. As it continued calm all night,
and seeing we could proceed to sea this day; I again sent him with a
party to Seal Island to get some of the skins both as specimens for
Government and for our own uses as several of the people were without
hats or shoes...Served out fishing line and 4 hooks to each mess, the
crew of the launch having yesterday caught several rock fish at Grant's
Point.

"Thursday, 17th December. Making ready for sea. Observed that for these
several days past the native fires had advanced nearer to us, and this
day saw one fire that could be no more than 4 or 5 miles inland.

"Friday, 18th December. At 2 P.M. the first mate and party returned from
Seal Island with some skins which run very small...This time the officer
found remains of fires and a number of bamboo pegs, also a club. The
Harrington must have been here, but where she could have lain at anchor
we could not discover; if any place along this beach, it is curious that
not the least signs of her are to be found--as I walked down from one end
almost to the other. P.M. I sent Bond and Missing, two soldiers, to cut
some more wood, doing which they were fortunate enough to discover a
spring of water...I went on shore and found on clearing it with our hands
that at once we got 100 gallons of very good water...In the morning a
spring was found that proved equal to the watering in a few days a line
of battleships. Pleased with this circumstance took a gang of hands on
shore and made a good road to it, we also cleared the spring of all the
dirt, roots and boughs of fallen and decayed trees that had got into
it...we bailed out of it at least 2 or 3 tons of water and found the
bottom to be a rock of very large stones collected together...in half an
hour after it was entirely empty it was again quite full of clear good