Seventeen days after these people were taken, they appeared so well satisfied, that their keepers began to be less apprehensive of their attempting to make their escape, which they did not fail to notice, and had no doubt laid a plan to avail themselves of, for they were very far from being destitute of observation and cunning.  One evening, when it was pretty dark, their keepers were sitting within the door of their house, eating their supper; Ba-na-lang was within also, and employed in the same manner; Co-al-by was at the door, sitting just on the outside, and had with him something for his supper, which he pretended to be employed about, the end of his rope was in the hand of his keeper; while they in the inside were thus amused, -Co-al-by_ drew the splice of his rope from the shackle, and in a moment was over the paling of the yard, and out of sight; an immediate search was made for him, but without effect, we saw him no more:  however we heard afterwards that he joined his friends again, and will no doubt be careful how he confides hereafter in us:  his friends would certainly be something surprized to see him so well cloathed, for he carried off his whole wardrobe.  I suppose it would cost him some trouble to get the shackle from his leg, which was riveted on.

The other man was much more chearful after Co-al-by-’s absence, which confirmed our conjecture, and the children’s account, that he was a man more distinguished in his tribe than -Ba-na-lang.

In the month of January, 1790, in every company, the conversation turned upon the long expected arrivals from England, which we had been for some past in daily expectation of, with a supply of provisions; our store here was now in a very exhausted state, much more so than we ever expected it would have been:  for it was the general opinion, that I should the last year, on my arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, have there met with store-ships bound to this country, as it was always understood that the settlement would never have been reduced lower than one year’s provisions in store.

We landed in this country with two years provisions, at least with what was supposed, when we sailed from England, would be the case; that time was now elapsed, yet we had not been visited by any ships from Europe, and we still had remaining provisions, at half allowance, to last until June.  We all looked forward with hope for arrivals with a relief; and that every assistance necessary for strangers might be at hand, I offered, with a few men from the Sirius, to go down to the south head of the harbour, there to build a lookout-house, and erect a flag-staff upon the height, which might be seen from the sea; and which might also communicate information of ships in the offing to the governor at Sydney-cove.

The governor approved my proposals.  I went down with six men, and was accompanied by Mr. White and Mr. Worgan, the surgeons of the settlement and Sirius.  We erected a flag-staff, and lived in a tent for ten days, in which time we compleated a tolerably good house.  At the end of ten days, I was relieved by Mr. Bradley with a fresh party.