Sunday 14 August 1836

at 7 A.M. A boat (for the 2^nd time) came ashore for the purpose of taking off the L.M.P.s Sailors & after a mixture of persuasions & threats They were prevailed upon to depart. During the previous evening while absent on duty at a little distance my Tent had been entered & plundered of some private stores (Cheese Ham & Wine) & I now understanding that the sailors belonging to the L.M.P.s other watch were going to come ashore thought it my duty to forward to Capⁿ Ross the following note

Nepean Bay 14^th Aug^t 1836, 7 A.M. My Dear Sir, In consequence of the serious disturbance & breach of the Kings peace at my Settlement last night & in anticipation of a repetition of the same to day owing to a part of the crew of the L.M.P. being on shore – I am under the necessity of requesting that you will take the necessary measures for preventing your sailors from mixing with my people & especially from being on shore during the night. Dear Sir, yours very truly Sam^l Stephens. (On receipt)

This note I afterwards learned was read by Capⁿ Ross on the Quarter Deck to the whole ship’s company & some very proper observations were made by him on the subject, the result of which was that though I thought it prudent to continue a guard over the Company’s & our private property, the day passed peaceably. This morning I hoisted for the first time the British Admiralty Ensign & decorated with the Company’s Flag & Colours a booth which I had prepared for the performance of Divine Service. In the Evening a man of the name of Cooper who has been residing on the Island for 7 years & who it appears has 3 acres of land under cultivation on the Western side of the Point Marsden came round to us & after having had some lengthy conversation with him I arranged with him for the service of himself & his boat so long as I might require it. This arrangement is a great relief to my mind as I am now certain of obtaining at a moderate cost a full supply of fresh water untill I am able to ascertain whether or no I shall succeed in my well & that too without hindering the crew of the Duke of York. If I can get a well of fresh water hereabouts I shall name this place Kingscote and it will be at no distant period a Port & Harbour of the very first class for ships under the burthen of 500 tons. About midnight hearing footsteps near the Store took my Carbine & went out to see who it was, Found it to be M^r Chadwick of the L.M.P. who had come up from M^r Beare’s tent in company with one of my men. Chadwick wished to speak to me again about the state of the L.M.P. Came into my tent had a small quantity of weak Rum & water (he asked for Rum but I put water to it) I soon found from his violent Conversation his Display of a large pistol & boasting that the L.M.P. would never have her anchor weighed by her present crew, that he was very much intoxicated, & my former suspicions respecting him were strengthened. I dismissed him & he staggered off toward the beach. Soon after a person outside my tent requested to know if I had seen M^r Chadwick I went out & found the enquirer to be one of the L.M.P.s sailors who was also intoxicated. He seemed very much concerned at not finding Chadwick & said that Chadwick & he had agreed to leave the ship but did not wish it to be known. I told him if any man left the ship here without the Cap^ns permission he might depend upon it he should not receive the least countenance or support from me, & that I would take any proceedings against him which the Capⁿ requested.