Having six musquets on the island, exclusive of the marines arms, I thought it necessary to instruct the few free persons I had (which were six) in the use of fire-arms, in case the marines should be sick, or any other exigency should happen; I therefore gave orders to Mr. Dunavan to exercise them every Saturday morning; and the serjeant was to exercise the marines at the same time, or oftener:  I intended that the former, after they were a little expert, should fire half a dozen rounds once a month.

I went in the boat on the 5th, and examined the north and west side of the island, which I found every where surrounded by perpendicular cliffs.  I landed on the beach in Anson’s-Bay, where I found the remains of a canoe, which had been washed there by the tide; a very good cocoa-nut was also found.  This beach is very small, and appeared to be a mere quicksand; there is no fresh water near it, and the bay is surrounded by steep hills, on which there grows a quantity of the flax-plant.

The 8th ushered a male child into the world, and as he was the first born on the island, he was baptized by the name of Norfolk.  At noon on the 15th, parties were sent out in search of the cockswain of the coble, who had lost himself in the woods, as he was returning from Ball-Bay, where the boat had been hauled up the preceding day at sun-set:  he was found on the 18th, naked and almost exhausted, insomuch that he was obliged to be carried to the settlement, having received several deep cuts and bruises which rendered him incapable of getting out of his bed for some time.

Thomas Watts, a convict, was punished with twenty-four lashes, on the 19th, for contemptuously refusing to work, and being abusive to the corporal of marines, who reprimanded him for not going to work with the rest of the convicts.

The weather, during this month, was very fine and settled, and the wind northerly until the 22d; from which time to the end of the month, we had constant heavy rain, without an hour’s interval of dry weather:  such a continuance of rainy weather I never heard of, and it was frequently attended with heavy gales of wind from the north-east.

In consequence of some irregularities which had happened, I found it necessary to assemble all the free people on the 23d, and to read the articles of war.

The next day, Robert Webb, a seaman belonging to the Sirius, but who was employed as a gardener on the island, came to me, and signified a wish to speak with me in private, which being granted, he informed me that a plan had been concerted among the convicts, to surprize me, with the rest of the officers, marines, and free people; and to possess themselves of the public stores, and afterwards to endeavour to surprize the Supply, or any other vessel that might come here, and make their escape from the island.  On my interrogating him, he said that Elizabeth Anderson, a female convict, who lived with him, had given him