♄ [Saturday] December 22nd Fresh Breezes & Wy Weather employed as before watering and stowing the Fore and Main Hold – Arrived here the Comet a Dutch States Brig from the Cape of Good Hope Captain [F???manus] with Dispatches to the Governor here, which inform us of the unsettled State of Affairs in Europe and thier Uncertainty with respect to them at the Cape. she saluted us when coming in with 11 Guns which was ignorantly taken up by the Fort upon Ladder Hill AM. the Wind moderated and some light Showers of Rain. Employed as before watering and in the Holds. An Officer sent on board the Comet to inform them of our Intention to return the Salute which we did soon after with an equal Number of Guns and presently she returned the Forts Salute – At 9 The Prudenta (a Ship manned with English under Genoese Colours) arrived and ed here and soon after the Ganges an East India Companys Ship Captain Garnault who saluted the Fort which it returned – about 10 H.M.S. Atalanta Captain Elphinstone arrived and was saluted by the Fort which she returned with an equal Number of Guns – this is the same Man who commanded the Swan when we were at the Cape – Spruce Beer today for the People

  This Morning the Botanists were on shore as usual at Day break and took with them nine Pots of Otaheite fruit Plants being one of every Sort they had brought from thence, and several Cocoa nutts which had shot out while laying by, which they left at the Governors for the Use of the Island – Moderate Breezes & fine Weather