“From this time the place began to assume the appearance of a fortified village; quarters were constructed within the walls of the fort for the accommodation of the officers belonging to the establishment, and about thirty huts of various kinds were erected, and thatched with rushes for the soldiers and convicts.  A deep well was sunk near the fort; a good substantial wharf ran out into the water; and, as soon as a commissariat storehouse was finished, all the provisions were landed from the Countess of Harcourt and secured there.

“The soil in the neighbourhood of the settlement being exceedingly good, gardens were cleared and laid out, and soon produced all kinds of vegetables.  In our stock we were rather unfortunate, for of six sheep that were landed for the purpose of breeding, five died, supposed from the effect produced by eating some pernicious herb in the woods:  pigs, ducks, and fowls seemed however in a fair way of doing well, and had increased considerably since they were landed; but great inconvenience was experienced for want of some horses or draught oxen, which would not only have materially expedited the work in hand, but would have spared the men much laborious fatigue and exposure to the effects of a vertical sun:  all difficulties and obstacles were however met and overcome with the greatest zeal and perseverance, and the works proceeded with such spirit and alacrity, that we were enabled to sail for Bombay on the 13th of November, without exposing the new settlement either to the jealousy of the Malays, or the mischievous attack of the natives.  No traces of the former people were observed at this place, nor any of the trepang that would be their sole inducement for visiting it.  Not one native made his appearance before the early part of November when, as if by signal, a party of about eighteen on each shore communicated with us on the same day and were very friendly, although exceedingly suspicious and timid.  They would not venture within the line of the outer hut and always came armed, but laid aside their spears and clubs whenever friendly signs were made.  On the second day of their visit I was greatly astonished to see amongst them a young man of about twenty years of age, not darker in colour than a Chinese but with perfect Malay features and like all the rest entirely naked:  he had daubed himself all over with soot and grease, to appear like the others, but the difference was plainly perceptible.  On perceiving that he was the object of our conversation, a certain archness and lively expression came over his countenance, which a native Australian would have strained his features in vain to have produced.  The natives appeared to be very fond of him.  It seems probable that he must have been kidnapped when very young, or found while astray in the woods.*

(Footnote.  At our visit to this place in 1818 and during our communication with the natives a boy of the above description was noticed among them; he was brought down upon the shoulders of one of the Indians, in which position he is represented in the view.  See volume 1.)