midnight, to wait for daylight and clear weather; but the wind blowing from the westward the next morning, it occupied us twelve hours to beat up Berkeley Sound; and it was not until 6 o'clock in the evening that we anchored in Port Louis.
Lieutenant Sibbald met us outside the narrows with despatches and letters from England, which had been brought by H.M. brig Philomel during our absence; he also gave a satisfactory account of the health and conduct of the party under his command. I had the gratification of receiving a letter from the secretary of the Admiralty, conveying to me the expression of their lordships' great satisfaction at the successful result of our exertions, which, together with one of the same date, acquainting me with the promotion of Captain Crozier, Commander Bird, and Lieutenant A. J. Smith, will be found in the Appendix.
Nov. 14.An English barque, the Governor Halkett, with a valuable cargo of oil from Sydney, arrived the next day, having sprung a leak soon after leaving the harbour. We immediately sent as many hands from both ships as could work on board to discharge her cargo and look for the leak. It was fortunate we were in the harbour at the time, or this fine vessel must have been lost for want of means of repairing her. As it was, it occupied our people nearly a week in clearing her out, when a most dangerous leak was found in her bows and repaired by our carpenters; and, although every exertion was made to restow her cargo, it was not until the 1st of Decem-