As the brig Amity was lying in port, awaiting to be relieved by the Mermaid, Captain Barker determined to proceed in her, to take a minute survey of Port Essington, as he thought it probable that he might receive orders to remove the settlement thither; and I very willingly accepted the invitation to accompany him.
On the 22d of June, when we were all ready for departure, a vessel was discovered in the offing, standing into the Bay, but it was evident she was not the daily-expected Mermaid. Dr. Davis being indisposed. Captain Barker requested me to board her. She proved to be the brig Resource, from Sydney to the Isle of France. Her object in touching here was to land the crew of the Mermaid, which vessel had been wrecked on the 13th of June, from what I could learn, on the outer barrier reef. The crew took to the whale-boat, and, after three days, were picked up by the schooner Admiral Gifford, and shortly afterwards sent on board the Swiftsure; which ship was, on July 5th, wrecked off Cape Sidmouth[1] and her crew were also on board the Resource.
The master of the late Mermaid accompanied me on shore, with the despatches, which he had saved; and which, he informed me, contained orders for the abandonment of the settlement. This intelligence caused universal regret. I do not suppose that six volunteers
- ↑ The Swiftsure was said to be the vessel in which Buonaparte escaped from Elba.
