Sample pages from The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 6

7/30/2019 Sample pages from The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 17681820, Volume 6

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1

From Bartholomew Rudd

[1]Redcar, near Gisborough

10 September 1801Sir,

I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt o your letter inclosing yourvery handsome & truly charitable donation o en Pounds or Mrs. Fleck theSister o the late Capt. Cook 1 I can assure you it is an act o great & well timedcharity or in consequence o a very unavourable season or the catching o Lob-sters & crabs which is now the occupation o her husband they have been reducedto great distress indeed & as you rightly conjecture have been in a great measuresupported by charitable contributions [deletion] It appears to me the best modeo administering your bounty to them not to give them all the money at once butto advance it by weekly allowances as their necessities may require it

I propose to ollow that mode o relie & when the money you have soKindly & generously given them is in that way all expended I will o course takethe liberty o transmitting to you the amount & vouchers o the expenditure I

believe it is now about three weeks since M rs. Flecks letter to Mrs. Cook was sentbut I do not fnd that any answer has yet been received / but/ perhaps she maybe absent rom home or ill but should no answer be returned in a month or twoI think we may conclude that Mrs. Flecks application in that quarter does notmeet with Success Should that be the case I will as I beore mentioned transmit

you a proper Certifcate o Mrs. Flecks Situation & I hope there can be no doubto your generous & /appl/ humane application to Government or a small pen-sion or her proving successul I am sure you will agree with me that it wouldbe little short o a national disgrace to Suer the Sister o Capt. Cook to pass herold age in want o the common necessaries o lie or in a parish workhouse

I have the honour to remain, Sir,with very great respect

your most humble & most obedt ServBartw. Rudd

[Banks Endorsements.]Sept 15

[and]Mr Rudd

Sept 15 01


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2 Te Indian and Pacifc Correspondence o Sir Joseph Banks, Volume 6

1. Elizabeth Cook (ne Batts) (1740/11835) was the widow o James Cook (172879). Banks

assisted in arranging a pension rom government to support her. He also ensured that the largest

share o profts rom the publication o Cooks voyages was assigned to Elizabeth and her children.

James Cooks sister, Margaret Fleck (17421804), was not included in these provisions, and when

she and her husband, James (17391817), ell on hard times Bartholomew Rudd (d. 1829), a local

barrister, intervened on their behal. He approached Banks or help and Banks donated 10 to the

Flecks. Banks advised Rudd to contact Elizabeth Cook or assistance and himsel approached the

Admiralty to request fnancial aid or the amily. Te Admiralty reused to help, however, on the

basis that giving money to wider amily in such cases might set an undesirable precedent.

Te son o the Flecks, James (17651828), was introduced by Rudd to Banks. James was the

master o a ship in which he purchased a share or 225, the money having been loaned to him or

this purpose by Elizabeth Cook. Rudd later approached Banks regarding James when the Fleck

amilys ortunes once again deteriorated ollowing Margarets death. James and his partners were

at this point orced to sell their ship. Rudd asked Banks to help James obtain a post in the navy orpossibly as a revenue o cer. See Rudd to Banks , 22 April 1805, this edition, vol. 7, letter 14.

From Rev. Tomas Haweis

[2]Brighton

19 September 1801Dear Sir,

Your avor o Augt 22d reached me only this morning, having lain at Spa-felds, till a Packet rom thence brought it with other Letters.1

As a Subject, & riend to my Country, I eel mysel bound to any Service itmay require o me. I am too incompetent on the Subject, to trouble his Lordship

with any Suggestions, ready only to do any thing, & Every thing in my Power,which the Commander o the District where invasion might be made or appre-hended should judge necessary.2 Tere are not many Miles rom Newcastle tothe Lands End, & indeed round the whole Coast where there are not Some Per-sons, many, /in connection with us,/ who would probably be Excited to Activityin any Service, which might be recommended by the Commander in chei, i aMan in whom they had Confdence were among them, and I know many o myBrethren in Wales as well as England, who would as readily as mysel come or-

ward to promote any Service, that might conduce to national Deence in Caseo Emergency. I need not perhaps repeat that I am ready at an hours notice togo to any Part o the Coast, and under the Direction o the Commander o the

District, to Suggest or Execute whatever may be within the Sphere o my Inu-ence and Activity. I shrink rom the Idea o Intrusion, or o appearing o anyImportance, where I merely ulfll the Calls o Duty. mine can be but small, butEvery little adds to the Mass. I shall rejoice to fnd there is no Call or such exer-tions, but i there should, conscious o my motives & only regretting that I hadnot greater Ability to Serve my Country, in Willingness your humble Servant

would approve himsel.


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Letters 18011805 3

And now dear Sir, I must trouble you on another Subject, which I was justsitting down to lay beore you, as your avor came to hand. You know in whatconcerns our Southern Establishment, especially at Otaheite, you are my mag-nus Apollo. Te kind Indulgence with which you have always treated me, & theready Assistance you have given, make me reckon confdently on your advice, &direction, how we may eventually Succeed in an Object, which I think great ina national View, but greater as reerring to Interests unspeakably beyond everything temporal.

I have given you the State o our Mission at Otaheite, & the reinorcementssent out by the royal Admiral. Our most Sensible Men there, rom whom we

have received letters earnestly recommend a frm & enlarged Settlement at/a/ Mattavai, with a schooner remaining to keep up correspondence thro thecircumjacent Islands, & diuse thereby knowledge as rom a central ocus,increasing our Numbers according to our calls. In order to [do] this many ous think an orderly Government among our Brethren should be established,clothed with some proper & legal Authority. I wish thereore i it be not tootroublesome to learn rom you

1. Whether the India Companys exclusive rights would prevent such a set-tlement could in that case their consent be obtained, subjecting us to suchcommercial constraints as thought proper to be imposed.

2. Could our Government, at a peace not I hope very distant be prevailedupon to grant us a ship which would otherwise /be/ laid up, to convey a body o

fy or Sixty persons to join our Brethren at Mattavai.3. Whether i we reighted an annual Ship to communicate with our Breth-

ren, and to bring home any produce o the Islands, as the Moravians do romLabradore, a license could be obtained with an admitted Entrance o such

produce here. I the leading points were ascertained Te details would all be sub-mitted to you, & I shall not oend you by Expressing my Confdence that you

would not Spare yoursel a considerable Degree o trouble to perect an Objectso desireable

I mean to be here till October the middle perhaps the End, & then shallmerely pass thro own or Bath.

Your much obliged& obedient Servt

Haweis.

P.S. I am anxious to know what we may hope, as it will require time & muchAttention to fnd proper persons, especially a president, & what I wish, romGermany or Sweden a Botanist mineralogist, & naturalist as I think there is agreat reasure o Natural History to be yet collected, in the Southern Ocean.I have made many Enquiries rom Dr Vanderkemp,3 which I hope will bring


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something valuable rom Cararia & the ambouquis It has been suggested byintelligent Men returned rom Port Jackson that the very Supply o that Colony

with provisions & live Stock rom Otaheite, where they might be raised in anyquantity, would be an unspeakable Advantage. You know the run down may bedone in a ortnight tho the return be Slower. they say this Article alone wouldderay the Expence o our Settlement.

[Banks Endorsement.]Sept 22

[Addressed: Soho Square.]

1. In 1797 a party o missionaries was sent by the Missionary Society (later the London Mis-

sionary Society) to islands in the Pacifc on the Du. In the years that ollowed these missionariesstruggled to cope, both as a viable community and in their missionary work. Indeed, some o themdeparted or Port Jackson while others were ostracized or taking native wives. When the Albionwhaler arrived at ahiti in December 1800, she brought bleak news regarding the capture in the

Atlantic by a French privateer o the Duas it carried a second consignment o missionaries tothe Pacifc. TeAlbion also brought news o the massacre on onga (the Friendly Islands) o threemissionaries, mistakenly thought by the locals to be participating in tribal wars. All but one o

the survivors o this tragedy were evacuated on board the Betsy in January 1800. Meanwhile, inthe Marquesas, William Pascoe Crook (17751846) had persevered alone. Tere he mastered the

native language and gained the respect o the local people, beore returning home to report to theMissionary Society directors. In July 1801 theRoyal Admiralarrived at ahiti bringing eight moremissionaries, as well as letters rom home and the frst o cial communication rom the societys

directors. Many o the missionaries on the island wanted an increase in their numbers or greatersecurity and in order to achieve their evangelical aims, but at this time the supply o missionaries

rom England remained small. Families and more women or wives were thought by them to be

desirable. When theRoyal Admiral

departed it carried away troublesome runaway sailors who on

ahiti, as elsewhere among the Pacifc islands, had caused considerable disruption. It was not untilearly in 1802 that the missionaries on ahiti were able to undertake their frst tour o the island

preaching in ahitian. Shortly thereaer tribal war broke out, and their eorts were once again

placed in jeopardy. See Haweis to Banks, 15 May 1801, this edition, vol. 5, letter 272.

2. In the summer o 1801 Britain was in the grip o the frst real invasion scare o the NapoleonicWars. Britain was the sole nation at war with France since the signing o the reaty o Luneville between

the French and the Austrians in February 1801. Partly in order to gain bargaining power in subsequent

peace negotiations, Napoleon (17691821) concentrated the now unemployed French army together

with a otilla o barges at Boulogne. On 12 August Te imes published general instructions or theorganization o British troops being marched to assembly points in the event o an invasion. On 15

August Horatio Nelsons (17581805) attempt to attack the otilla at Boulogne ailed. Te peace nego-

tiations that began on 1 October 1801 led to the signing o an armistice, the reaty o Amiens, on 27

March 1802 and a brie interruption to years o war between Britain and France.3. Johannes Teodorus van der Kemp (17471811): Dutch-born missionary, sent by Missionary

Society to the Cape o Good Hope in 1799. See Haweis to Banks, [25 November 1798], this edition,

vol. 5, letter 20.


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Letters 18011805 5

From William Roxburgh

[3]

Calcutta21 September 1801

Dear SirTe Georgiana packet has been under dispatch these 4 or 5 months & is at

last about to sail or England. I can not let my riend Captn. Leigh, the Com-mander o her depart without giving him something to carry to you, seeds havebeen1 shippd on the same vessel two or three months ago, along withMr. Fichtelsbaggage.1 Tat Gentleman goes a passenger on the same ship, & has the seeds

under his care, what to send by Captn. Leigh I scarce know, but have ventured ona ew roots. i you have them already you must take the will or the deed, & tellme what will be most /or more/ acceptable.

Te large roots o our three Bengal, or rather Indian Crinums vizt.

No. 1 Crinum latiolium1Linn: which I sent a drawing o to the Directors as No. 932. &there calld it C. asiaticum. It is no doubt an Amaryllis, & probably the most superbo the whole. It must be Rumphiuss ulipa javanica

2. Crinum Asiaticum1Linn: but certainly not Grtners. Te drawing will be sent inmy next hundred.

3. C. Zeylanicum.1 my No. 931, & ormerly /I/ thought it Linnuss latiolium, or it isby ar the broadest leaved o the three.

Crinum nervosum you already have in Kew Garden, under the name PancratiumAmboinense I will not send any o the roots.

In a small basket withsome other things just to be mentiond,1you will fnd thebulb-like Seeds o the above1three Crinums. with corresponding numbers cut ona bit o Bamboo. Te basket also contains

No. 1 Roots o Amomum Zerumbet,2 Do o Stipulatum, my No. 1102.3 Do o Curcuma Zedoaria, my No. 10104 Do o Zerumbet, Roxb: which you will receive in my next hundred.

It is calld by the Persians Zerumbad Katchoor, by the Hindoos.Zerumbed, Rumph. Amb: 5. 68 Amomum Zerumbeth o Km:

5 Do o Kmperia rotunda,6 Galanga7 Angustiolia Roxb:

8 Gloriosa Superba, and9 Arum orixensis Roxb:

I dar[e]say most i not the whole will arrive in a state ft or vegetation. Atall events they will enable you to determine which o the above mentionedZerumbets is that o our Materia medica, Whether my Zedoaria is the real one,& whether the Galanga o the Shops is the root o Kmperia Galanga, which I


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am rather inclined to doubt. It will give me real pleasure to be avord with yourremarks on these circumstances, & would lead me to endeavor to ascertain somemore o the doubtul articles o our Materia medica.

I hope by this time you have received the seeds, and my account o our Indiansilk moths sent in February by Mr. Boswell,2

I am Dear SirYour most obedt.

Hble servt.

W Roxburgh[Banks Endorsement.]

1801Sept 21

1. Tis text appears to have been underlined by someone other than Roxburgh, probably Banks.2. For a Gambier plant drawing sent by Roxburgh to England through Tomas David Boswell

(d. 1826), see Boswell to Banks, 12 January 1804, Kew BC II 303 (JBK/1/7).

From William Roxburgh

[4]

Calcutta27 September 1801

Dear SirA most extraordinary Water lily, which I have or these fve or six years been

trying to introduce rom an Eastern province calld ipperah, into this Gardenhas only been eected within these six months, & now when I expected to fndit beginning to blossom, ound the seed ripe. Since the plants were put younginto the ponds, the water has rose over 10 eet in them. Te leaves as in the otherspecies o Nympha oat on the water they are peltate, & rom 3 to 4 eet inDiameter, armd, (as is every other part o the plant), /on both sides/ with long,straight, sharp thorns. Te Peduncles are not hal the length o the petioles sothat the blossoms expand many eet under the surace o the water, which pre-

vented me rom discovering the state o the Plants till I got a good Diver to godown, where he ound them all in ruit. /wo/ /Four/ o them entire I send byMr. Fichtel, he will hang them up in his Cabin till they are pretty dry, & then put

/two o/ Tem into a small box amongst brown Sugar, which I have given him,or the purpose, the other /two/ he will try to carry sae in some other way. Adescription & drawing o this truly curious Plant will be sent soon, I call it Nym-

pha spinosa, Mr. F. will also try to carry an intire lea, which is now drying.1

Captn. Leigh o the Georgiana, the ship Mr. Fichtel goes on, has several roots& bulb-like seeds o our Crinums2 or you.


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Letters 18011805 7

My Languas will no doubt be [a] /species o/ Willdenows Hellenia, a thirdspecies besides Knigs three, & my Amomum araca, which is his H. allughas,it bears bulbs on the racemes, several o the raccemes, or rather spikes I havegiven Mr. Fichtel to carry to you.3

Could you oblige me with a copy o your edition o Kmpers fgures? I longto see the work exceedingly.4

I have the honour to be with much esteem Dear SirYour most obedt.

Hble servt.

W Roxburgh

Every exertion has been made on my part, & are still continuing thus to improveour Indian Hemp as it is commonly calld, I mean the fbres o the bark o Cro-talaria Juncea, here call[ed] Sun,5 much goes home, and I ear in general o a badquality till the new crop comes in: Tis I beg o you to keep in your mind, that

you may not be too hasty in condemning its general quality: I privately ad[v]isednot sending, particularly atfrst, nothing but the very best, large quantities arehowever gone.

I have been trying various barks to fnd substitutes, & out o about twenty sendyou by Mr. Fichtel samples o two o the best o them. Tese are easily raised, &are very productive, No. 1 is the fbres o the Bark o Abroma angusta Linn: whichKnig took or a new species & calld Wheleri. Te other: /N o./ 2 is an Hibis-cus, which I am uncertain o. it agrees best with the defnition o speciosus exceptin the Calus lobes o the leaves.6 Te whole o Lupinus malvace yield fbres ftor various uses, I mean our Indian way during the time the Georgiana has beendetaind longer than expected. I have put various little matters under the care o Mr.Fichtel, & not particularized in any letter, suchas Ceylon Ebony wood &ca.7

I will thank you or a ew seeds o Cucumis chate & o Momordica Elaterium.8

[Banks Endorsement.]1801

Sept 27[Addressed: London.]

[Te ollowing note appears on the address lea.]

Per avor o Captn. LeighWith our bundles o roots& a small basket containingroots also

1. Will iam Roxburgh (17511815) is describing the plant now classifed asEuryale eroxSalisb.Tis giant spiny water lily, also known as the Gorgon Plant and Foxnut, is common and widespread


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in tropical Asia and has long been cultivated or its edible ruits, especially in China. Roxburgh

later applied the nameAnneslia spinosa to drawings o the plant sent to Banks, in honour o GeorgeAnnesley, Viscount o Valentia (17701844), who discovered the plant on his Indian travels. Te

name Anneslia spinosa Andrews was published by Henry Charles Andrews (. 17941830) in theBotanists Repository or 1811, but the name Euryale eroxhad been published earlier by RichardSalisbury (17611829) in the Annals o Botany or 1806, and so this name takes priority. In 1809seeds o this spectacular plant, which in many ways resembles the Victoria water lily Victoria ama-zonica Sowerby, were sent preserved in sugar by Roxburgh to George Spencer, Marquis o Blandord(17661840), who cultivated it in his aquarium at Whiteknights Park near Reading.

2. Crinum, in the amily Amaryl lidaceae, is a large genus o showy large-owered bulbous peren-nial plants.3. Languas, Hellenia andAmomum are genera in the ginger amily, Zingiberaceae, a large amilyo commonly aromatic species o pan-tropical distribution. Te taxonomy o the amily is complex.

Hellenia allughas (Retz.) Willd. is presently classifed asAlpinia allughas (Retz.) Burkhill. Te genus

Hellenia was created by the German plant taxonomist, Carl Ludwig von Willdenow (17651812),in 1797.

4. Engelbert Kaemper (16511716),Amoenitatum exoticarum (Lemgo, 1712).5. See George Sinclair (d. 1799) on hemp, ax and potato cultivation in India, 25 November1798, this edition, vol. 5, letter 21, note 3.

6. Abroma augustum (L.) L.., commonly known as Devils Cotton and Indian hemp, is a treenative to tropical Asia. It is used in herbal medicine in India.A. wheleri Retz. is a dierent species.Tis was one o a range o Indian plants being investigated by Roxburgh as possible new sources

o fbre. By 1801 Roxburgh had one-third o an acre oA. augustum under cultivation at the Cal-cutta Botanic Garden. Various species oHibiscus in the amily Malvaceae were also being assessed.See On the culture, properties, and comparative strength o hemp, and other vegetable fbres, thegrowth o the East Indies,Nicholsons Journal o Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and the Arts, 11 (1805),pp. 3247.

7. Diospyros ebenum Koen., a species o ebony tree native to India and Sri Lanka. Tis p hrase mayhave been underlined by Banks.

8. Roxburgh is asking or seeds o the plants now namedCucumis melo L., the melon, andEcbal-lium agreste Rchb., the squirting cucumber.

From Bartholomew Rudd

[5]

Redcar, near Gisborough7 October 1801

Sir,Te bearer o this is Captain James Fleck the eldest Son o Margaret Fleck

& Nephew o Te late Captain James Cook I have desired him to wait uponyou to thank you or the humane & charitable attention you have shewn to hisMother

He is I believe a very meritorious young Man & has already by his industry& good conduct raised himsel to be the Master o a trading Vessel I think you

will fnd in his countenance a strong resemblance o his late Uncle whose geniushe also appears to inherit in no small degree His conduct to his Mother hasbeen exemplary & I am persuaded you will see with a lively interest a young Manso nearly related to our late celebrated Navigator & o whose good conduct I amhappy to bear testimony I have the honour to orward to you a regular certifcate


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more ully detailing Mrs. Flecks age & circumstances together with those o herhusband to whom she has been married about 40 years & by whom she has had alarge amily I a pension could be extended to him in case he survives his Wieit would be great charity or he has been a very honest & industrious Man.

I Mrs. Cook should disappoint our hopes & decline making any pension orMr. & Mrs. Fleck in their old age which however I am ar rom supposing will bethe case I have then no doubt o your humane intercession with Government intheir avour proving successul You will thus give another mark o your riend-ship or our great Navigator as well as another instance o your well knowncharity & benevolence which induced me to make known her distresses to you

I have the honour to remain, Sir,very respectully yoursBartw. Rudd

[A note in Bankss hand ollows.]

Sent the Letter Enclosd to Mrs. CookEnclosd 10 in my Letter to be given to the Family

[Banks Endorsement.]Novr. 26.

From Mungo Park

[6]Peebles

13 October 1801Dear Sir

I have always looked upon you as my particular riend; and as I have expe-rienced so many marks o your avour, I thought mysel bound in gratitude toinorm you o such steps as I might take in lie.

I le London as you may easily suppose a little down hearted. Te romanticvillage which my ancy had erected on the shores o New holland, as a habitationor mysel and amily, had compleatly disappeared; and I Journeyed towards mynative country with the painul but not degrading reexion that I must hence-orth eat my bread by the sweat o my brow. On my arrival in Scotland it was

my wish to occupy a arm but the high price o Cattle and the enormous rentswhich landholders every where expected made it rather a dangerous specula-tion. in short I was again compleatly at a stand. At this juncture a surgeon oconsiderable eminence died at Peebles and as I was tired o a lie o indolence Iresolved to succeed him. I was induced to take this step, because it would aordme present employment; and in the event o obtaining something better, I couldresign my situation to my younger brother or my brother in law, both o whom

Letters 18011805 9


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are at present abroad, and who in consequence o the peace will be in a greatmeasure unprovided or

In the mean time I hope that my riends will not relax in their endeavoursto serve me a Country Surgeon is at best but a laboreous employment and I willgladly hang up the lancet & plaister ladle whenever I can obtain a more eligablesituation 1

With best wishes or your health & prosperityI remain Dear Siryour Humble Servt.

Mungo Park

[Banks Endorsements.]Octr 20[and]

Novr. 16Promisd him a Copy, o Sr. Wm Younges acct o Horneman2

1. Mungo Park (17711806) had previously been oered a place on a planned mission to Aus-

tralia but had declined the position in avour o marriage and lie as a physician in Peebles, Scotland.

See Parks biographical entry in the Calendar o Correspondence. See also his correspondence with

Banks, this edition, vol. 4. In 1803 a military expedition into West Arica and along the River

Niger was considered and Mungo Park was an obvious candidate to lead it since he had previously

explored this part o the continent. Park accepted the appointment, having been unable to settle in

Scotland, and wanting instead more travel and adventure. He eventually sailed rom Portsmouth

on 31 January 1805 but was killed during the mission.

2. Friedrich Conrad Hornemann (17721800): student o theology at Gttingen University;explorer o Arica. Hornemann was recommended to Banks by Blumenbach or a mission to

explore Arica that was sponsored by the Arican Association. Hornemann proposed exploring

rom Cairo to Fezzan and onwards to the River Niger. He departed in July 1797 but never returned.

In August 1799 he sent his journals to London rom ripoli. Hornemann travelled in disguise as a

Muslim trader and the last letters rom him were written in Fezzan. William Young (17491815)

translated and edited Hornemanns journals, Te Journal o Frederick Hornemanns ravels om Cairoto Mourzouk, the Capital o the Kingdom o Fezzan in the Years 17978(London, 1802).

From William Kent

[7]

Kentish own16 October 1801

Sir,Knowing you are greatly interested in the welare o His Majestys distant Set-

tlement in New South Wales, I have taken the liberty o sending you herewithspecimens o Iron,1 extracted in the Foundry in Gosport rom the Iron-Stoneound in the vicinity o the own o Sydney, which I am told is superior to thefnest Swedish Iron. Unortunately none o the Crucibles would stand the blasto the Furnace, or a considerable quantity o the Iron would have been procured.


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Letters 18011805 11

Should you wish to see me on this, or any other subject, I will do mysel thehonor o waiting upon you beore I return onboard the Bualo, which will be inabout 12 days. I have the honor to be, Sir, with the greatest respect,

Your most obedient humble ServantW:m Kent.

[Banks Endorsement.]Octr 20 29

1. Te policy o supplying the mother country with materials or her burgeoning industry,

and also o the colony itsel becoming more sel-su cient, is signifcant. Tis increased domestic

income and decreased the costs o maintaining an empire. Te search or commodities that couldbe developed or export was thereoore a key element o colonial pol icy. Te iron industry was slow

to start in Australia, owing to the unsuitable chemical composition o the ore deposits that were

initially ound. Te frst major export trade rom Australia to Britain was in whale and seal oil and

in seal skins. Te next major commodity was coal, with exports starting in about 1799 to India.Wool started to be exported rom the 1820s onwards. Later in the nineteenth century, in 1851, the

frst major gold rush took place in Australia.

From Matthew Flinders

[8]

HMSInvestigatorFalse Bay, Cape o Good Hope

21 October 1801

I eel some satisaction in writing to you, Sir Joseph, now that I have not totrouble you with my wants and complaints; but rather to say, that we have thusar advanced prosperously in the voyage.1 In my letter to the Admiralty I havedetailed the ew circumstances worth mentioning that occurred in the passage;but as they are not o much importance, it is not necessary to repeat them here.A table o meteorological observations, and o the route is inclosed in the Admi-ralty letter, in which the currents by which the ship was inuenced in her coursethrough the Atlantic are noticed. Tis I have done, partly with the view o ur-nishing some urther data to Major Rennel, whom I understand to be collectingacts relative to the currents in the ocean. I they should prove o the least ser viceto the major it will make me happy.

We are now under a thorough course o caulking, which the leaky state o

the ship in her upper works has made necessary; but by the end o October, Iully expect that not only the caulking will be completed, but every other work

which it is necessary or us to do at the ship to make her ready or proceedingto King Georges Sound; where, soon aer the commencement o December, Ihope to be

No intelligence has yet been received here o the Lady Nelsons arrival at PortJackson; although here are letters rom thence dated in March last. I have some


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ears or her saety, particularly as she was desired to run in the parallel o 38south, in order to pass through Bass Strait.

I expected to fnd some convict ships, by which I could have orwarded theletters to governor King, and requested him to have the Lady Nelson ready to

proceed to sea with me about the month o April; or it is not probable that weshall arrive there much beore that time; and I yet hope that some ship bound toPort Jackson may come in beore we sail

Te ill health that has attended Mr. Crosley in the last passage, is likely to beattended with the unpleasant consequence o his being le behind here. Shouldit so happen, I shall have some urther occasion to trouble you with my writing

rom this placeI have just now learned that the Porpoise is expected here every day, and thatMr. Bass sailed rom hence three months back

Mr. Brown wishes me to say, that he deers writing to you, Sir Joseph, until weare about to leave this place, when his subjects will be more extensive

With the hope that your health is reestablished, I remain, Sir Josephyour much obliged & humble servantMattw. Flinders

[Banks Endorsement.]Jan 22 1802


1. Te Investigatorsailed rom Spithead on 18 July 1801 under the command o Matthew Flin-ders (17741814) on an expedition to survey the coasts o New Holland. It was discovered just

twelve days later that the ship was leaking more than two inches o water per hour, and so she was

partly recaulked on arrival at Madeira in early August. Te vessel underwent a thorough overhaul

aer reaching the Cape o Good Hope in October, where it stayed or eighteen days. Flinders took

this opportunity to load provisions and resh water. While at the Cape the astronomer John Cros-

ley (17621817) quit the voyage due to poor health, leaving Flinders to undertake the missions

astronomical observations with the help o his younger brother, Samuel (17821834). Crosley had

requently been unwell on the passage rom Madeira, possibly suering rom chronic seasickness.

He helped Flinders set up the astronomical equipment during the stop at the Cape. Four other

sailors also departed the Investigator. wo o these ailed to meet the level o discipline Flindersrequired and so were dismissed, while the other two were unable to endure the demands o such

a voyage. Tese our men were replaced by sailors rom the squadron o vice-admiral Sir Roger

Curtis (17461816), then at the Cape.Investigatorsailed rom the Cape on 4 November 1801. ForCrosley, see the letter and note printed immediately below.

From Matthew Flinders

[9]

HMSInvestigatorCape o Good Hope29 October 1801

Sir JosephTe circumstance that I eared is now become a certainty, which induces me

again to address you rom this place. Te ill health that has hitherto attended


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Letters 18011805 13

Mr Crosley during the greater part o the last passage, made him ear that hehe [sic]would not be able to attend to his duty in the way that he could wish;and thereore, aer trying the eect o a ew days on shore, he has decided tostay behind at the Cape, where he can procure a passage to England.1 On manyaccounts I am very sorry that this takes place, but I shall endeavour, that theinjury which the service must sustain by this misortune may be as much reducedas our remaining joint abilities in this department can make it. As ar as relates toascertaining our situation at sea, and fxing generally the positions o headlands&c. I do not much ear but that we shall succeed tolerably well, as also in gettingat the rates o our time-keepers in harbour by means o the artifcial horizon,

since I have been some years in the practice o doing these. With respect to theastronomical clocks and the universal theodolite, I eel more di dence; I have,however, paid all the attention to them since they have been set up at this place,that my necessary business would permit; and with the assistance o my brother,2

who has been a constant resident at the observatory, I am by no means withouthopes o ulflling nearly, the instructions rom the Board to Mr. Crosley; a copyo which instructions he will leave with me. Te greater part, i not the whole othe instruments &c. /om the B/ with which Mr. Crosley has been supplied, he

will leave in my charge; and on his return, he will be able to give the Board someinormation as to how ar we are likely to supply his place.

On considering well the subject o sending out another astronomer, itappears to me, that one could not possibly arrive at Port Jackson in less than

twelve months rom this time, and most probably would not join the Investiga-tor in less than eighteen; by which time I hope to have the principal part o oursurvey completed. During this time, we must perorm the whole business o theobservatory, and shall, it is to be hoped, have made ourselves masters o it. In thisstate o things, I would not wish to have it taken out o my hands towards theconclusion o the voyage; and thereore, although I should be very glad to get anable man to fll Mr. Crosleys place at this time, I am decidedly against making anyapplication to the Board o Longitude tosend outa successor. With respect toany compensation to my brother or me rom the Board, or our labours in theirservice it must entirely be le to the board to decide; we shall do every thing

within our reach to beneft science, whatever is their determinationRequesting your orgiveness, Sir Joseph, or intruding so long upon you, I

remain,with the greatest respectyour much obliged andobedient servantMattw. Flinders

[Banks Endorsement.]June 29 03



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1. John Crosley was appointed by the Board o Longitude to travel as astronomer on theInvesti-gatorvoyage. He disembarked at the Cape o Good Hope due to i ll health and returned to England.Matthew Flinders and his brother, Samuel, thereore undertook astronomical observations during

the mission. Although Flinders advised that a replacement astronomer would not be needed, the

Board o Longitude sent James Inman (17761859) to fll Crosleys place. Inman was waiting at

Port Jackson when theInvestigatorarrived there in June 1803 aer its circumnavigation o Australia.When theInvestigatorwas condemned as unft to continue, Matthew Flinders departed or Engl andin the Porpoise in the hope o obtaining another mission vessel. Inman was le at Port Jacksonin charge o the astronomical instruments. However, the Porpoise was wrecked and Flinders hadto return in a cutter to summon help or survivors le behind on Wreck Ree. Inman accompa-nied him on theRolla to the ree, the precise location o which Inman helped to determine. Inmanreturned to England in the East India Company ship Warley with most o the Investigatorcrew.

At his suggestion, the Admiralty established a school o naval architecture in 1810, and he was

appointed its principal. Inman went on to publish important works in shipbuilding and in naviga-

tion and nautical astronomy.2. Samuel Ward Flinders (17821834): naval o cer; younger brother o Matthew Flinders. He

was born at Donington, Lincolnshire, in November 1782, and was the younger brother o Mat-

thew Flinders. As a boy Samuel volunteered to sail in HMS Reliance, under Henry Waterhouse(17701812), to accompany his brother Matthew, who was masters mate, to New South Wales,

where they arrived in September 1795. In July 1799 he accompanied his brother as midshipman on

theNorolk to explore the coast north o Sydney. Aer returning to England in 1800 with Matthew,Samuel was in March 1801 appointed second lieutenant on the Investigatorat Matthews request.

Aer ill health orced John Crosley (17621817), the o cial astronomer to the expedition, to leave

at the Cape o Good Hope, Samuel assisted his brother in making astronomical observations dur-

ing the rest o the voyage, and he later helped recompute the astronomical data or the o cialvoyage account. Aer being shipwrecked in thePorpoise in August 1803,Samuel returned to Eng-land with Commodore Nathaniel Dance (17481827), and was awarded a ceremonial sword or his

part in the action against a French naval orce o Pulo Aura. He served in the Channel eet and in

1806 was appointed to command HMSBloodhound. In 1808 Samuel was court-martialled or diso-

beying orders, dismissed ship and docked three years seniority. He retired on hal pay to Devon.In 1811 he joined his brother in London to carry out the calculations required to obtain accurate

charts rom the observations made on the voyage o theInvestigator. Samuel became involved in adispute over payment or this work, threatening to withhold observations that he had made on thevoyage, but eventually he completed the task in 1813. He is buried at Donington parish church.

From Rev. Tomas Haweis

[10]

[Spa Fields]29 October 1801

Dear Sir,I am happy to fnd, since I had last the honour o addressing you, that the

War is happily ended.1 May the Experience o the Miseries it has Occasionedmake Every Nation more careul to avoid all Causes o contest or the uture. Itnow becomes more than Ever desireable to endeavour to ameliorate the Condi-tion o Mankind in general, and to promote the propriety o this avoured Landthat our burdens may be alleviated. persuaded that the Object you have permit-ted me to lay beore you, will contribute to so desireable an End, I continue tohope it will be in your remembrance, and that you will not think me intrusive, as


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Letters 18011805 15

I am passing thro own to Bath, i I ask the avour o a Line on the Subject wch. Isubmitted to Your Consideration; or would be pleased verbally to impart to meany Advice, respecting the Objects, I coness I have much at heart: and whichmight, I am persuaded, be made as advantageous to enlarge our Commerce& Extend our Inuence, as to spread, the knowledge o true Christianity, ourfrst Concern. Te tenth part o the Sums Expended on the unhealthy Coastso Arica at Bulam, & Sierra Leone would have ormed Paradises in many othe Groups o Islands in the pacifc Ocean, & probably opened rich Sources onatural knowledge, as well as commercial Advantages. but I need oer no Sug-gestions to the Person who o all Men in the Kingdom can best appretiate the

Value o the Objects, & their Attainableness.I shall be at Spafelds or the next ten days. But i any prospect should ariseo being able to advance the Object in view, I should gladly sacrifce every other

pursuit, to the more important one, & readily devote My ime, & any part oMy ortune to the Securing a permanent Station in any o the Islands we have

visited, but especially Otaheite, where we have received the most ConvincingEvidence o our cordial Welcome, & probability o fnal Success.

Lord Liverpool was once so obliging as to assure me he should be happy toassist our Eorts; & I am ready to atter mysel, that his deep Intelligence willsee the benefcial Eects, which might result rom our perm[anent] Establish-ment in any o the Islands o the pacifc Ocean.

I remain

Yr much obliged& obedt Servt

. Haweis[Banks Endorsement.]

Novr. 1[Addressed: Soho Square.]

1. Charles Jenkinson, 1st Baron Hawkesbury and 1st Earl o Liverpool (17291808), and Louis

Guillaume Otto (1753/41817) signed preliminary articles o peace between Britain and France in

the treaty o London on 1 October 1801.

From William Kent

[11]Kentish own

1 November 1801Sir,

I have just had the pleasure o receiving your very obliging letter o the 27: thUlt:o, and as the Admiralty have been pleased to extend my leave o absence to14 days more, I shall have the honor o paying my respects to you beore my


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return to the Bualo, at which time I will take the liberty o requesting to know,i Government will hold out advantage, to any ingenious Man who will under-take the Smelting o Iron-Ore in New South Wales. 1 Cast Iron Vessels o allkinds might be made there or the use o the Settlers and Prisoners, together

with every Utensil o Husbandry &c &c this would at least save the expenceo reight, and eectually prevent disappointment (which requently is the case)in those necessary articles not arriving rom England at the time they are most

wanted the consequence o which is, the Governor is obliged to purchase Ironout o Ships that call at Port Jackson at a very exorbitant price. I it is wished,I can point out many essential Services that can be renderd the Colony by the

Bualo on her present Voyage, which appear to me to be entirely overlooked. My inclination, as well as duty, will lead me to this; alth: o no notice has beentaken o me or the exertion I have made, and the risks I have run, during the longspace o eight Years, in assisting to bring that beautiul Country to its presentourishing state. I have the honor to be, Sir, with the greatest respect,

Your most Obedient, Humble, andDevoted Servant.W:m Kent.

[Banks Endorsement.]Novr. 4

1. See Kent to Banks, 29 November 1801, this volume, letter 21 and Kent to Banks, 6 December

1801, this volume, letter 26.

From William Paterson

[12]

Port Jackson2 November 1801

Dr SirAs a Vessel is now about to sail rom this or the Cape o Good Hope, Lieut

Grant who commanded the Lady Nelson, is a passenger in her; and will lose noopportunity o proceeding to England without delay. It is thereor probablethis conveyence will be the frst inormation, o the unexpected circumstancesthat has occurred since the departure o the Albion, which took their rise rom

the rial o Lt. Marshall1You will long ere this be acquainted with the particulars o that ransac-

tion and as Governor King writes you very ully upon the present business, byMr. Grant, It is unnecessary or me to say any thing on the subject; except whatrelates to part o a Letter dated 20th. Augt. respecting the Governers having beenrather too economical in the purchase o Wheat. this I certainly never /was/intend as a complaint against Governor King; and was certain it would not be


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Letters 18011805 17

taken in that light by you as it has ever been my opinion he was a very properperson or the Situation he now holds. Unortunately at this time I had somuch writing, that it was necessary to have some assistance, and among others

was Captain Mc Arthur the next in Command to mysel; who I confded in onthis occasion.

Having sent my representation in support o the O cers conduct on therial o Lt Marshall and pointing out to General Brownrigg how very unpleas-antly the Military were situated with regard to Criminal Courts in this Colony,that done, I conceived that no arther notice could be taken o it, whether rightor wrong, until we received answers o our separate Statements rom home.

Captain M

c

Arthur now entered into some explanation with the Governoro a private nature, in which they did not agree he thereore expected the sup-port o all the O cers and strongly recommended they should not visit theGovernors, some ollowed his advice and others did not. I highly disapprovedo their conduct and declared my intention/s/ o transacting business with theGovernor as ormerly.

When Captain Mc Arthur ound he could not carry his point on one case,He had recourse to another; which was, to bring about a Quarrel between theGovernor and me. to eect this, he disclosed my Public and Private corraspond-ence, (with additions) to serve his own views particularly my Letter to you andalso that to General Brownrigg, in which he had materially assisted. Ten withother circumstances equally mean, and deceitul in his character, le me no

alternative but that o demanding private redress. I thereor sent him a challenge and on the 14 th. Septr. last the meeting took

place. I was wounded in the right arm, and have not until now been able to use it I am much recovered altho the Ball is not yet extracted there is no apprehensiono any inconvenience attending it.

Captain Mc Kellar (the Governors aid de Camp) will leave this by the frstdirect conveyance or England, with the Governors Despatches.

As he was my riend in this Aair I shall take the liberty o recommendinghim to your notice and any inormation, you may wish to have on the subject, he

will be happy to give youI hope Sir you will excuse my entering into a relation so dierent to my

accustomd correspondence, nor should I in this instance had it not been in con-

sequence o Governor Kings taking oence in the Paragraph o my Letter toyou, by the Albion (as beore stated) which was never intend[ed] to injure himin your esteem or reecting on his conduct as the Governor o this Colony butmerely mentioning what was commonly talked o at the time

Captain Mc Arthur is now under arrest by Governor King; or the reasonshe explains to you in his Letter by Lt. Grant &c /(Capt. Mc A)/ goes in a Vesselcalled the Hunter by the way o India, so that it will be a long time beore we


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know what notice will be taken o the Governors charges against him. whatever/the result is/ I hope /it/ will be the means o regulating cases o this nature inuture, and prevent the necessity o reerring them to such a distance.

All these circumstances which I have related; has carried me so much o myavourite pursuits that I ear or some time I shall not be able to do any thing inthe Botanical way. However when I can do without a Surgeon I intend a shortexcursion in hopes o being able to send you some thing, by Captn Mc Kellar

I beg my respects to Lady & Miss Banks and Compliments to Mr. Dryander&c, &c

I amDr Siryour most Obedt.

aithull Servant,W Paterson

Banks Endorsement.]Oct 27 02 april 8 03

1. Will iam Paterson (17551810) makes reerence in this letter to the trial on 29 July 1801 o

Lieutenant James Marshall, a Royal Navy o cer and naval agent o the convict transport shipEarlCornwallis, or alleged assault upon Edward Abbott (17661832) and also or threatening JohnMacarthur (bap. 17671834), both o the New South Wales Corps. On the bench trying Marshallwere fve o cers o the corps and one naval o cer, James Grant (17721833). Marshal l was con-

victed in a heated trial, the outcome o which was complicated by Governor Philip Gidley Kings

(17581808) request that it be reopened. Te incompetent judge-advocate, Richard Atkins (1745

1820), could not advise the court whether the acts o which Marshall stood accused were an assaultin law; nor would he express an opinion on a vote whether the governors direction to reopen the

case and consider resh evidence be obeyed. Lieutenant-Governor Paterson supported his corps

o cers and John Macarthur, but disagreed with the latters suggestion that the o cers should

break o social relations with the governor. A quarrel ensued in which Paterson claimed that Mac-arthur disclosed inormation contained in a private letter rom his own wie to Macarthurs wie.

In September Paterson challenged Macarthur to a duel. During the duel Paterson was wounded

in the shoulder. Governor King sent Macarthur to England under arrest. King believed that while

Paterson acted honourably when on his own, he ailed to frmly opp ose his corps o cers when thiswas necessary. Relations between King and Paterson deteriorated and, although they tried to pre-

serve an outward appearance o decorum in government, riction and disagreement nevertheless

persisted between them.

From William Kent

[13]Kentish own

9 November 1801[A headnote in Bankss hand reads Emu.]

Sir,Having brought home three Emues o New South Wales, a Male and two

Females,1 I have to request you will do me the honor to accept them; they areat present on-Board the Bualo and in the most perect health. Tere can be


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Letters 18011805 19

little doubt o their breeding in this Country i allowed a Park to range in duringSummer, and in Winter when the Weather is fne; but at this Season o the Yearthey will require a warm place to sleep in during the Night, such as a Stable. Ihave the honor to be, Sir, with the greatest respect,

Your most obedient, humble, anddevoted Servant,W:m Kent

[An enclosure ollows in Kents hand.]

Emue

Te largest Bird as yet discoverd in New South Wales, rom the eet to the topo the Head, when standing erect, is about six Feet six Inches, it has little or no

Wing, but its eetness is equal to that o a Grayhound; it lives on Vegetables othe Cabbage kind, and Grain. Te Egg o this Bird is about two thirds o thesize o that o the Ostrich, and is o a beautiul Grass-green.

[Addressed: Soho Square.][Banks Endorsements.]

Novr. 9[and]

Capt KentNovr. 10 01

1. Te emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) is a large ightless bird native to most omainland Australia. Five subspecies have been described, two o which, the asmanian Emu and the

King Island Emu, became extinct in the early nineteenth century. Te emu can reach up to 2 metres

in height and weigh up to 55 kg, and is the second tallest extant bird, exceeded only by the ostrich.

Along with the kangaroo, it is one o the uno cial emblems o Australia, and both animals eature inthe Australian coat o arms. Emus were used as a source o ood by aboriginal Australians and early

settlers and, since they breed well in captivity, are presently armed or their meat, leather and oil.

From William Kent

[14]

HMSBualo, Portsmouth Harbour16 November 1801

[A headnote in Bankss hand.]Mr Pidcock1 assured me that he had oerd300 Guineas or the 3 Emues

Sir,As the Bualo will go out o Harbour to Spithead in about a Week I think

the sooner the Emues, you did me the honor to accept, are landed the better;they are at present in the most perect [state] although they have been onboardthirteen Months: I never saw them look better. We shall sail or New South


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Wales about the end o December. I have the honor to be, Sir, with the greatestrespect,

Your most obedient, humble, anddevoted ServantW:m Kent.

1. Banks corresponded with the customs authorities in Portsmouth and the O ce or rade

in London to establish whether duty must be paid or the import o the emus on theBualo, andi so its amount and by whom. His eorts eventually produced a reasury warrant and the birdswere soon released and began their journey to London. See Banks to the O ce or rade, [Novem-

ber 1801], and Kent to Banks, 29 November 1801, this volume, letters 19 and 21. George Pidcock

(17431810) was a menagerist and showman who at this time was proprietor o Pidcocks Royal

Menagerie at Exeter Change (Exchange), Te Strand. Exotic animals were part o the cultural lieo eighteenth-century London, but Pidcocks menagerie was rare at this time due to its status as

a permanent show. I an oer o 300 guineas had indeed been made or the emus, it would have

been an enormous sum, as would have been the resulting amount o duty. Tis valuation seems an

unlikely one, however, since all o the living animals in Pidcocks menagerie were insured in 1803or 1,565.

From Tomas Christopher

[15]

Custom House16 November 1801

Hond SirI beg leave to Inorm you that I have Obtained a Special Order rom the

Honble Commisss. or the Birds to be Deliverd on payment o the Duty whichOrder will go by this Days post I thereore Submit whether you will not writeto some person at Portsmouth to fx a Value on them as the Duty is ad valorem

I am SirWith RespectYour most Obd Sert.

To Christopher

From Tomas Christopher

[16]

Custom House

17 November 1801Hond Sir

I beg leave to Inorm you that I lost no time in presenting your Second Petti-tion to the Board and they have been pleased to Give the Following Answer (Te

Board are not authorized to remit the Duty on these Birds)


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Letters 18011805 21

I Submit Sir whether you will please to make Application to the Rt Hon-

ble the Lords o the reasury when I have no doubt but their Lordships would

Order them to be Delivered Duty ree

I am Hond Sir

Your most Ob Sert

To Christopher

From Roger Elliot Roberts

[17]

46 Albermarle Street18 November [1801]

Colonel Roberts presents his Compliments to Sir Joseph Banks, with the Draw-

ing o an Animal, o the natural Size, lately ound in the upper Provinces o

Hindustan, & supposed to be a Non-discript. It is there named Bajeram, and

represented as generally requenting Places o Sepulture.

Colonel Roberts is sorry He cannot oer the Drawing to Sir Joseph Bankss

Acceptance, it belonging to a Gentleman lately arrived rom India, but it may

remain with Sir Joseph as long as He may wish.

o the O ce or rade

[18]

[Soho Square]

26 November 18011

Dear Sir

Te Customs house o cers at Portsmouth have Reusd to Deliver the Birds

unless the Duty is Paid & the Capt & men employd to bring them away are now

Staying there on Demarage I will come over to you i you Please that we may

Concert measures on this Emergency

Very Faithuly yours

Jos: Banks

[A note in an unknown hand ollows.]

Warrant & also 20th.. Novr. 1801

1. A note at the head o this letter, probably in the hand o a later scholar or librarian, reads o

Marquis o Exeter?

Sample pages from The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 6

Documents

Transcript of Sample pages from The Indian and Pacific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1768–1820, Volume 6