Thursday 4 August 1836

Augt. 4^th, 5^th and 6^th. The ships commenced and continued to discharge cargo and so rapidly that it was with difficulty I could by any means manage to save the damageable parts from being seriously injured by the weather; succeeded however by the evening of the 6^th in erecting by means of my tarpaulins (without which I could have done nothing) a tolerably secure temporary Store under which all perishable articles were put and properly entered and arranged. During these days I [was] harassed exceedingly owing to my men and officers being frightened almost out of their senses because our well happened to turn brackish instead of fresh and but for my determined firmness I certainly think at this early stage of our proceedings the prospects of the Company would have been blighted and their property (all of it that was here) destroyed. After I had withstood the people and refused positively to remove from the spot (for various reasons which I did not think it prudent or proper to mention) I arranged with Captain Morgan to land from his ship water for the use of the men and stock while he lay in the Bay and with Mr. Wallan and his partner Day, for the use of their premises on the banks of the Morgan by water 25 by land 9 miles for the Women, Children and stock in case I should see it prudent to remove them for water and protection before the arrival of the Pirie. I then fixed upon a spot where I thought water might be had by digging 20 to 30 feet and ordered 2 hands to commence sinking a well on the following Monday.