PITT WATER TO SYDNEY. 519 swimming over the water and to cix>8S through the wood to the 1789 Siriiis. The distance they had to swim was not more than two cables length, or four hundred yard& They immediately stripped, Swimmiog and each having had a dram they tied up in a handkerchief a h^j^ur.^ shirt, trousers, and a pair of shoes each, which was rested upon their shoulders. Thus equipped they took the water, and in seven minutes landed on the opposite shore ; but one, being seized with the cramp, was obliged to disengage himself from his bundle, which was of course lost They set off through the woods, and in a short time got on board the ship — the one with his shirt and trousers, the other perfectly naked. Upon their information a boat was sent down and took us on board, after a pretty fatiguing journey.
- ^ I cannot help here remarking how providential it was that we
did not all agree to walk round the north-west harbour. At eight in the morning we heard the report of a great gun, which led me Report to suspect that some peraon belonging to the Sirius was missing, ^ ** *^'** and had probably been lost in the woods. We frequently fired muskets that morning, and sometimes imagined we heard a musket at a considerable distance in the woods. In consequence of this suspicion we frequently tired several together, and as often heard the report of that which we believed was meant to answer us ; in short, by means of these repeated voUies we drew nearer to that which answered us, and by hallooing all together found we had got within hearing of the person who had answered our tiring ; for after calling out we listened attentively, and heard a very faint voice in answer. In that direction we walked, and at last by frequent calling and answering we found the person out, who proved to be Peter White, sailmaker of the Sirius, who had been four days lost, and when he set out from the ship had not four bSh!"^^*^ ounces of biscuit with him, one ounce of which he had still left. He was very faint, and appeared to us to be stupid and almost exhausted, for he staggered like a man drunk. We took him with us, and by giving him such provisions as we had, in small propor- tions, he was in a few hours a great deal recovered ; but I think if he had not been found as he was, in twenty-four hours more he would not have been able to make any further effort to save him- self, and must have perished where he lay down. It is remarkable that the flint of his gun being worn to a stump, he could not get lire out of it the whole day before, when trying to shoot some birds for his subsistence, until night came on, when it was neces- sary for him to have a tire to sleep by ; he then tried it again with very little hope of succeeding, but contrary to his expectations he got a fire and sat by it the whole night The next morning it Savcjd by & failed him repeatedly until he had occasion to answer our muskets, '***' when it struck every time he wished to answer us, otherwise in all probability we should not have found him. This is exactly his own account." — Hunter, Journal, p. 155. 2 M Digitized by Google
