Wednesday 24 August 1836

24^th. Sent of a boat & 5 hands with tools & provisions to the Salt Lagoon to prepare a place for themselves & the stock &c under the Direction of M^r Brown. Spent an hour or two in shewing the Settlement & its vicinity to Col^l Light, who took lunch under my tent. This afternoon the hands at the well came to water which sure enough turned out to be slightly Brackish, & thereupon (although we have an abundant supply from another source) I was once more prayed to abandon the place. It is not, however, my intention to act so stupidly, untill I can find a better & for all commercial purposes I am tolerably certain I cannot find a better on the Island. This morning at day light the L.M.P. got under weigh but owing to the wind shifting came to an anchor again a few miles further out. Finding that spite of all the precautions I had been able to take the small stock of ardent spirits in our store was improperly used, I ordered all that remained to be got ready in the morning for sending off to the John Pirie, Capⁿ Martin kindly consenting to receive it. Had some conversation with M^r Birdseye about his very great inattention to his duty & hope in future he will take more interest in the Company’s service.