The next forenoon, the coble came on shore, and soon afterwards the Golden Grove anchored in the road.  The same afternoon we landed eighteen casks of flour, and ten of salt provisions.

Landing was very good until the evening of the 21st, and during that time we received the whole of the stores and provisions from the Golden Grove:  I also received two sows and fourteen young pigs belonging to the crown, and a she-goat, which was the property of Mr. Collins, the judge-advocate.  The provisions received were—­one hundred and twenty-six barrels of flour, thirty-nine tierces of beef and twenty-two tierces of pork, twenty-three firkins of butter, thirty-three casks of peas, and five puncheons of rum, which were about seventeen months provisions at the following ratio:—­For one man for a week, flour, seven pounds:  beef, three pounds and a half:  pork, two pounds:  butter, six ounces:  peas, three pints.  For one woman for a week, flour, four pounds and a half:  beef, two pounds and a quarter:  pork, one pound and a quarter:  butter, four ounces:  peas, two pints.  It should be observed, that the above ratio was full avoirdupoise weight, without any deduction whatever.

During the night of the 22d, we had very strong gales of wind, and at day-light, I perceived the Golden Grove had left the road; I afterwards learnt that she parted her cable at ten o’clock, and was not more than her own length to windward of the reef of rocks which lie off the south-east end of Nepean Island in passing it.

From this time to the 28th, we had only three days good landing, during which a number of spars and planks were sent on board the Golden Grove, for Port Jackson.  Previous to the departure of that vessel, I wrote a letter to Mr. Blackburn, requesting him to communicate his remarks on the navigation round these islands; as he had a better opportunity of making himself acquainted with it than I possibly could have, to which he returned the following answer; and, from the abilities of this officer, I believe his observations are very accurate.

“North-north-west, about five miles from Duncombe Bay, there is a bank of coarse sand and coral, with sixteen and seventeen fathoms on it, between which and the anchoring place there are twenty-five fathoms:  there are also soundings north-east from Phillip Isle, from thirty-five to twenty-five fathoms at least four leagues off; at which distance it is foulest and shoallest.  The bearings, when at anchor in Duncombe Bay, were Cook’s rocks east-south-east, and the rocks off Point Howe, west-south-west one quarter west, the landing rock south, distance off one mile; the depth nineteen fathoms, coarse sand and coral.  The best anchorage in the Cascade Bay is with the great cascade south-west, and Cook’s Point north-east; distance off shore about a mile and a half; the ground tolerably good.  Cascade Bay is a very good road in the strong south-west wind, and very smooth water; the landing is easy, as is the access to the island.