"Wednesday, 9th December. At 1 P.M. the first officer in the launch returned on board with a load of water; on his examining the river he reported that everything seemed the same as when we left it--a strong presumption that no vessel had been there, as naturally they would have replaced their water. The river has been flooded since last April, as a temporary hut we built was found with part of the bank washed away; the banks of the river were found all in a high state of verdure and in many places the view is truly romantic and wild. No signs of native canoes or huts have been discovered, indeed, there is less appearance of natives now than when we were here last; for then many remains of huts, part of a canoe and their beaten tracks were to be found on all parts of the banks of this little river, all of which have vanished. The party caught and shot 5 pairs of swans, out of which 3 pairs were young, and brought on board alive, the others were old and we made some fresh meals from them; they also brought on board a pair of young geese which however are very scarce, but few parrots--the ducks are as shy as ever...At 3 P.M. sent the second mate to Churchill's Island to cut down the wheat on purpose to feed the young swans with it, at sundown they returned on board with it in the whole perhaps a bushel in quantity with a good deal mixed with oats and barley all fine of their kind--some potatoes were also found and 2 onions. At 8 A.M. the launch returned with a load of water, the officer reported that George Yates had gone to sleep on watch, left the launch deep loaded in imminent danger of being swamped as the tide rose, and moreover the whole boat's crew in danger of being surprised by natives if any should be about, for which crimes I punished him with two dozen lashes this being an old offence of his--I pardoned him three different times some time back for sleeping on his watch at Sydney... "Friday, 11th December. The very favourable weather we have had since our arrival here is to be thanked for enabling us to so soon fill our water as I expected this business would have detained me 9 or 10 days. At noon ran over to Lady Nelson's Point and there anchored in the mouth of Salt Water Lagoon--7 fathoms.