1-027 (Text)

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I remained on the Island from January, 1788 unto March 1791. On the 28 day of March made my escape in Compy with 7 men more and me with one woman and two childn - in an open six oar boat having of provision on Bd one hundred wt of flower and one hundd wt of rice 14lb of pork and about eight galons of water - having a Copass Quardrant and Chart. After two days sail reach a little creek about 2 degrees to the northward of Port Jackson there found a quantity of fine burng coal. There remaind nights and one day and found a varse quantty of cabage tree which we cut down and procured the cabage. Then the natives came down to which we gave some cloathes and other articles and they went away very much satisfied. The apperanance of the land appears more better here than at Sidney Cove. Here we got avarse quantity of fish which of a great refreshment to us. After our stay of 2 nights and one day we proceeded our voyage to they northward, after 2 days sail we made a very fine harbour seeming to run up the country for many miles and quite commodious for the anchorage of shipping. Here we found aplenty of fresh water. Hawld our boat ashore to repair her bottom being very leaky the better to pay her bottom with some beeswax and rosin which we had a small quantity thereof - But on they same night was drove of by the natives - which meant to destroy us. We launched our boat and road off in the strame quite out of reach of them - that being Sunday. Monday we were of in ye stream we rowed lower down thinging to land some miles below. On Monday morng we attempted to land when we found a place convenient for to repair our boat we accordg we put some of our things - part being ashore. There came the natives in vase numbers with speers and sheilds etc. We formed in parts, one party of us made towards them the better by signes to posify them but they not taking the least notice. Accordingly we fired a musket thinking to afright them but they took not the least notice thereof. On perceving them rush more foreward we were forsed to take to our boat and to get out of their reach as fast as we could - and what to do we could not tell. But on consulting with wach other it was detirmined for to rowed up the harbour 9 or 10 miles till we made a little white Sandy Isld in the middle of the harbour - which landd upon and hawld up our boat and repair her bottom with what little materials we had. Whilst our stay of 2 days we had no interupon from the natives. Then we rowed of to the main