Letter received by Banks from John Hunter, 1 August 1797 (Series 38.06) - No. 0003

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Weakly state, were put into the Boat, but when they arrivd at the place Nothing coud be discoverd of those helpless People except a few trifling things they had with them, part of which being Coverd with Blood, gave us reason to suppose they had been destroyed by the Natives; the boat was 3 days in Search but in Vain. The Supercargo informd me that they had occasion to Cross several Rivers on their Journey which they did upon Logs of timber, & that a few Nights before they were taken off, When they had occasion for a fire to lay by, they found a very Considerable quantity of Coal, so much upon the Surface of the Earth that they found no difficulty in getting enough for a large fire the whole time they stayd on that Spot. Our Small Colonial Schooner of about 40 tons burthen being at this time in Port; I had her immediatly filled & sent her to the Southward in Search of the Wreck & to take off the remaining Survivors of the Crew; they found her in the Lat: already mentiond, Many of the People had died on the Island but there were still a Considerable Number left some of whom were much troubled with large Scorbulic Swellings; the Commander of the Ship (Mr Hamilton) was the only Surviving European the rest were Lascars.

On interrogating Mr. Hamilton relative to the Situation he had so long been Confind to, he informd me they were Wreckd in the Middle of Feby - the Supercargo arrivd here on the 17 May, the Colonial Schooner returnd on the 5th July so that he had been 6 Months in this Melancholy Situation