▁some ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy , ▁and ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁mid ship man ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 5 . ▁Pass ages ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁writ ings ▁show ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁employed ▁in ▁Indian ▁waters ▁from ▁ 1 7 5 3 ▁almost ▁continu ously . ▁He ▁implies ▁that ▁during ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Seven ▁Years ' ▁War ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁Elizabeth , ▁in ▁the ▁squad ron ▁under ▁Admir al ▁Charles ▁Ste ev ens ; ▁but ▁this ▁cannot ▁be ▁verified ▁from ▁the ▁pay - book . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 2 ▁For rest ▁had ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁Company ▁ship . ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 0 ▁he ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁forming ▁the ▁new ▁settlement ▁at ▁Bal amb ang an ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁recommended ▁by ▁Alexander ▁Dal ry m ple , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 4 ▁he ▁led ▁an ▁expl oring ▁mission ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁New ▁Guinea . ▁He ▁sa iled ▁on ▁ 9 ▁December ▁in ▁the ▁T art ar , ▁a ▁gar ay ▁boat ▁from ▁Sul u ▁of ▁about ▁ten ▁tons ▁bur den , ▁with ▁two ▁English ▁officers ▁and ▁a ▁crew ▁of ▁eigh teen ▁Malays . ▁In ▁this , ▁accompanied ▁during ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁by ▁two ▁small ▁boats , ▁he ▁pushed ▁his ▁expl or ations ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Ge el v ink ▁Bay ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁exam ining ▁the ▁Sul u ▁Arch ip el ago , ▁the ▁south ▁coast ▁of ▁Mind ana o , ▁Mand i olo , ▁B atch ian , ▁and ▁particularly ▁Wa