The Surprise sailed on the 17th.  Mr. Campbell, being in want of hands, was allowed to receive on board sixteen men.  He had shipped a greater number; but some, regardless of their own situation, and of the effect such an act might have on others, had been detected in the act of robbing the ship, and were turned on shore.

Mr. Campbell at his departure expressed his determination of trying his passage to Bengal by the south cape of this country.  The route of the Daedalus was round the southern extremity of New Zealand.

The lieutenant-governor took with him all the documents which were necessary to lay before government to explain the state of the different settlements under his command; such as the commissary’s accounts, returns of stock, remains of provisions, etc, etc.; vouchers, in fact, of that true spirit of liberality which had marked the whole of his administration of the public affairs of this settlement.

Our society was much weakened by this departure of our friends; they carried with them, however, letters to our connexions, and our earnest wishes for their speedy, pleasant, and safe passage to England.

The number of small boats at this time in the settlement was considerable, although wretchedly put together.  Two of them were stolen during the month by several Irish prisoners, accompanied by some who came out in the Surprise.  In it they went down to the Southhead, whence they took what arms they could find, and made off to sea.  In a very few days they were all brought in from the adjacent bays, and punished for their rashness and folly.  No example seemed to deter these people from thinking it practicable to escape from the colony; the ill success and punishment which had befallen others affected not them, till woeful experience made it their own; and then they only regretted their ill fortune, never attributing the failure to their own ignorance and temerity.

In the morning of Wednesday the 24th the signal was made at the South Head for a vessel (which they had seen the day before).  She came in about three o’clock, and proved to be the Experiment, a snow from Bengal, laden with spirits, sugar, piece-goods, and a few casks of provisions; the speculation being suggested by Mr. Beyer, the agent for the Sugar Cane and Boddingtons.  Those ships had arrived safely at Bengal, and had sailed thence for England.

The Experiment had had a passage of three months from Calcutta, one month of which she had passed since she saw the southern extremity of this country.

We learned from Mr. E. McClellan, the master, that a large ship named the Neptune had been freighted with cattle, etc in pursuance of the contract entered into with Mr. Bampton, and had sailed from Bombay in July last, but was unfortunately lost in the river by sailing against the monsoon.  When Mr. Bampton might be expected was uncertain.