Wind West force 2 becoming SW force 3 during the forenoon.

17.30. Left harbour under steam.

1800. South Point Ross Island NW.  Set fore and aft sails.

Remarks

Ross Island appears very conspicuous by the tree standing in the centre of the buildings which are seen a good distance off. In the neighbourhood the forest has been completely cleared with exception of here and there specimens of very fine tall palms are left standing.

Most or nearly all the officers of the settlement live on Ross island with two Companies of a  European Regiment and some native regiment. The greater portion of the convicts are distributed about.

Some Andamese men and women came on board to see the ship but there chief desire appeared to be for tobacco and biscuits. They are particularly small people but those that we saw were well formed. A particular habit of theirs is to plaster their bodies with clay which kept the heat off. The men wear the usual native cloth round the middle and the women even less (a leaf).

A monthly mail runs between tis and Rangoon on its way to Calcutta. A party of convicts have been sent down to colonise Island Nicobar.