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His Majestys Ship Investigator
off the Cumberland Isles 18th Octr 1802
Sir
Although I am persuaded that it will give your Excellency pleasure to be informed that I have thus far been able to fulfill the orders intrusted to my execution, in having explored the coast of New South Wales and the isles lying off it from Herveys Bay to Broad Sound, with minuteness, and I hope accuracy; and consequently have made some discoveries which the hasty manner in which the great captain Cook passed did not permit him to make; yet it is of much concern to me, that the danger attending the latter part of this navigation could not be surmounted without such a loss of anchors to both vessels, and of other damage to the Lady Nelson that I judge it to be most for the advantage of the service in which we are engaged that she should return to Port Jackson.
The loss of her main-keel which happened when absent from this Investigator, and the damage done to the trunk rendering it unfit to receive another which I got made for it, has so much reduced her former capacity of beating to windward, which then was not great, that it is become imprudent to send her into any situation where her safety at all depends upon beating; and this as been since further increased by the loss of part of the after keel; and it appears to me as well as to the Commander of her, that (to use his expression) the keels are the life and soul of the vessel. -
Of the three anchor with which the brig was supplied, one is now lost and a second broken; and her two cables are both reduced by cutting off bad parts, and are otherwise chafed. Other deficiencies of stores which the brig now has and which will increase very fast, could be supplied by the Investigator, but the loss of three anchors which has already happened to the ship renders one unable to replace those lost by the brig without distressing ourselves, since I should have neither a strewn or a kedge anchor left on board wherewith to save the bowers, or to heave the ship off from any shoal or reef upon which she may probably get. -
On consulting with the 1st lieutenant of the Investigator, and the Commander of the Lady Nelson it appeared that the advantages to the Investigator arising from the attendance of the brig would balance against the disadvantages, as follows. -
1st the Lady Nelson might keep a head of the ship and give notice of danger; and probably save the ship from getting into it. -
2nd She would be useful to explore rivers and bays, whilst the ship remained safely at anchor; and also places where it would be unsafe to send the ship. -
3rd The brig might be of the greatest service in saving the people on board