Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, 28 September 1800 (Series 39.060) - No. 0004

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be able to keep him going on, until the Porpoise arrives, if ever she does, since a fatality [indecipherable]  on that Ship. Nothing has yet been done respecting the Coals. A small vessel went some time ago to the River between this & Port Stephens, she maped the River & got into a [barr?] lagoon, where she got loaded immediately, with very fine Coals, but in coming in to this harbour she got a [indecipherable] & was bilged - These Rivers which abound with Coals are not accessible to larger vessells than about 40 tons. It is true a number of [indecipherable] would load a larger vessell which may be done at Port Stephens. It is another [indecipherable] from the plots of the disaffected Irish, who were lately sent here for Sedition & Rebellion, that I have recommended the forming another Settlement at that place, with a very small [indecipherable] most unfortunately we have only one miner in the country who is a convict for life, he is very clever & is now [indecipherable] a seam of Coal at the head of