In 1794 aged 13 he was employed by the navy as a loblolly boy, meaning personal servant, to Bass who was the surgeon on board HMS Reliance for her voyage to Australia.
ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ ˈeɪdʒd θˈɜːtiːn hiː wʌz ɛmplˈɔɪd baɪ ðə nˈeɪvi æz ɐ lˈɑːblɑːli bˈɔɪ, mˈiːnɪŋ pˈɜːsənəl sˈɜːvənt, tə bˈeɪs hˌuː wʌzðə sˈɜːdʒən ˌɔn bˈoːɹd ˌeɪtʃˌɛmˈɛs ɹᵻlˈaɪəns fɔːɹ hɜː vˈɔɪɪdʒ tʊ ɔːstɹˈeɪliə.