MURRAY'S LOG.
Sydney Cove to the Hawkesbury.
"Thursday, April 1st. Fine weather. Getting ready for sea. At half-past 5
A.M. up kedge and weighed and turned out of ye cove. The Cumberland got
under way and proceeded down the harbour. At 8 A.M. (We having the
Cumberland in company) cleared the heads of Port Jackson, and at
half-past 8 parted with Cumberland, leaving her with a fine moderate
breeze at south-south-east, and by half-past 9 she bore Sydney 4 or 5
miles. By 11 A.M. got abreast of Barren Jowie* (* Barrenjoey.) and by
noon passed Pittwater, here we found at anchor Mr. Commissary Palmer's
vessel the George.
"Friday, April 2nd. Proceeding up Harbour and by 2 P.M. came to anchor
under Mullet Island, in the evening Raby's boat passed us, and in a
little time after we hailed and brought alongside a fishing boat with
three soldiers in her, at 8 P.M. she left us. A.M. Got under way and at
the end of tide came to in the westernmost end of Spectacle Reach.
"Saturday, April 3rd. At 3 P.M. got under weigh and proceeded up the
river - came to in Mangrove Reach, set as usual an armed watch with an
officer and proceeded up the river and at noon came to in Milkmaid Reach.
"Sunday, April 4th. At 6 A.M. got under weigh and proceeded up the river
as far as the first branch and there from the darkness of the night came
to. At 5 A.M. up anchor and by 11 got as far as Shot Snake Reach.
"Monday, April 5th. Fine weather. At 8 A.M. got under weigh
and...proceeded up the River, by 11 A.M. passed the upper branch and by
noon gained two following Reaches. Latitude observed 33 degrees 28
minutes 26 seconds south.
"Tuesday, April 6th. Fine weather throughout. At 4 P.M. came to in
Belloe's Reach and at half-past 9 P.M. got under weigh and gained
Portland Reach. At 10 A.M. got under weigh and by noon got one reach
above Portland Reach - as yet we have not seen one log of cedar.
"Wednesday, April 7th. Proceeding up the river - by 4 P.M. came to in the
Reach above the first settlers - fired a gun.
"Sunday, April 11th. At half-past 12 hauled the vessel in close to
Government House and began to take in wheat and by sundown got in 311
bushels. At daylight again began to receive grain and by noon received on
board to the amount of wheat 774 bushels.
The Hawkesbury to Sydney Cove.
"Monday, April 12th. Preparing to drop down the river. At 6 A.M. made the
signal for sailing with a gun.
Hawkesbury River to Sydney Cove.
"Tuesday, April 13th. At 9 A.M. hauled up to get down the river but the
wind blew so strong in our teeth that we were obliged to come to a few
hundred yards below Government House.
"Wednesday, April 14th. At half-past 12 P.M. the tide having made down
hove up and began to tow down the river and by 5 P.M. got down to the
lowest settlers. At 8 P.M. fired a gun and set an armed watch; at 9 P.M.
having a fair breeze of wind, got under weigh and by noon cleared Lover's
Leap Reach.
"Thursday, April 15th. At 5 P.M. from the strength of the wind were
obliged to come to in the upper end of Sackville Reach.
"Friday, April 16th. At one P.M. a short lull taking place, hove up and
tried to tow down but immediately obliged to bring up from wind blowing
so strong as to render our getting down the river an entire
impossibility.
"Saturday, April 17th. At one P.M. it lulled and we got under weigh, by 6
P.M. we came to, at midnight on the turn of tide again hove up and towed
down, at 3 A.M. passed the Francis schooner at anchor, at 4 A.M. came to.
"Sunday, April 18th. Fine weather throughout. Proceeding down the river.
At 4 P.M. came to in Barbin Reach - towed down till half-past 4 A.M., at
half-past 9 A.M. again got under weigh and by noon got within the reaches
of Mangrove Point; one of the Hawkesbury boats passed us.
"Monday, April 19th. Working down the river. By 2 P.M. we gained one
reach below Sentry Box and there came to. Sent on shore and cut down a
few cabbage trees for the people. At half-past 7 two boats passed us
going to the Hawkesbury. Half-past one A.M. got down as low as the Barr
Reach where we brought up, at 9 A.M. again got under weigh and by noon we
gained Spectacle Reach.
"Tuesday, April 20th. Proceeding down the river as far as Mullet Island
and at half-past 1 P.M. came to. Hove up and made sail down as far as
Flint and Steel Cove and then came to; at 9 A.M., in boats, and hove up,
made sail out of Broken Bay wind at north-west, at 11 A.M. passed Barren
Jowie, by noon the north head of Port Jackson bore south by west 1/2
west.
"Wednesday, April 21st. Hauled our wind close tacked occasionally till 6
P.M. when we entered the Heads, kept working up the Port and by 7 P.M.
got as high as Garden Island, and at 8 P.M. came to an anchor in Sydney
Cove.
