Wind light and variable airs becoming NE force 1. Barometer 30.01 inches.
Crossed Royal yards and loosed sails. 1100.
Naval court assembled and at 1300 had sentenced prisoners to be conveyed to Sydney for trial. Fine northerly airs. Barometer rather lower than normal. Hoisted in Galley and accommodation ladder. Received 5 Solomon Islanders ( As witnesses in the NUKULAU case) for conveyance to Sydney.
Remarks
The bad weather of August continued during this month with the exception of now and then a fine day but the wind being now settled from the SE and easterly it is generally blowing fresh with almost continuous rain and at times squally. The appearance of the weather being rather unsettled. The barometer being generally steady; standing from 30.06 inches to 30.16 inches and for two days on the wind freshening from SE to ESE it was as high as 30.23.
On arriving from Tongatabu on the 6th we anchored rather further out and towards the shoals and though plenty of room swinging to a southerly wind we were rather close to the shore with a northerly wind. Our markers on this occasion were Hemmings House just open of American Consuls Office and English Consuls flag staff on with right hand corner of Government House. On the 19th our marks were Hemming House open of American Consuls Office and English Consuls flag staff on with High commissioner’s flag staff.
On 14th on shifting berth anchored with Morey’s flagstaff (Red ensign and situated a short distance behind English Consul’s house) on with English Consul’s staff and Hemmings House shut in with American Consul’s Office.
It had been proposed to have staffs placed in the centre of the diamond marks for greater accuracy in steering through the channel in the reef. Our water which was first got from the Key’s Pier and latterly from Hemming’s Pier was considered by good; the water being lead down the pier by pipes and filling our launch from the pipe at the price of ?? per ton.
