Menabandonedthemselvestothemostdespondingreflections,andadoptedthemostextravagantconjectures.
Stillwewereonthetiptoeofexpectation.Ifthunderbrokeatadistance,orafowling-pieceoflouderthanordinaryreportresoundedinthewoods,\"agunfromaship\"wasechoedoneveryside,andnothingbuthurryandagitationprevailed.Foreighteenmonthsafterwehadlandedinthecountry,apartyofmarinesusedtogoweeklytoBotanyBay,toseewhetheranyvessel,ignorantofourremovaltoPortJackson,mightbearrivedthere.Butabetterplanwasnowdevised,onthesuggestionofcaptainHunter.Apartyofseamenwerefixedonahighbluff,calledtheSouth-head,attheentranceoftheharbour,onwhichaflagwasorderedtobehoisted,wheneverashipmightappear,whichshouldserveasadirectiontoher,andasasignalofapproachtous.Everyofficersteppedforwardtovolunteeraservicewhichpromisedtobesorepletewithbeneficialconsequences.ButthezealandalacrityofcaptainHunter,andourbrethrenofthe\'Sirius\',renderedsuperfluousallassistanceorco-operation.
Hereonthesummitofthehill,everymorningfromdaylightuntilthesunsunk,didwesweepthehorizon,inhopeofseeingasail.Ateveryfleetingspeckwhicharosefromthebosomofthesea,theheartbounded,andthetelescopewasliftedtotheeye.Ifashipappearedhere,weknewshemustbeboundtous;forontheshoresofthisvastoceanthelargestintheworld
weweretheonlycommunitywhichpossessedtheartofnavigation,andlanguishedforintercoursewithcivilizedsociety.
Tosaythatweweredisappointedandshocked,wouldveryinadequatelydescribeoursensations.Butthemiseryandhorrorofsuchasituationcannotbeimparted,evenbythosewhohavesufferedunderit.