of them were out sailing her on her trial trip. This little
vessel Flinders sent to King as some compensation for the _Cumberland_.

As soon as possible the shipwrecked men embarked, some on the _Rolla_ for
China, the rest on the _Francis_ and _Resource_ for Sydney; then Flinders
said good-bye and sailed northward for Timor, where he arrived thirty
days later. Here he wrote again to King; then came another letter dated
from the Mauritius, August 8th, 1804:--

"Thus far, my dear sir, I had written to you from Coupang, in case
of meeting a ship by which it might have been sent, little
expecting that I should have finished it here, and in a prison.

"We found the upper works of the schooner constantly leaky, and
the pumps became so much worn by constant use as to be rendered
unserviceable, and made it absolutely necessary to put in at this
island to get the schooner caulked and the pumps refitted before
attempting the passage round the Cape of Good Hope. I also
considered that, in case of a new war, I had no passports from the
Dutch, as well as that by putting in here I should be able to
ascertain how far the French settlements in this neighbourhood
might answer your purpose of supplying Port Jackson with cattle.
Having no chart or instructions relating to Mauritius, I came
round the south end of the island, and followed a small vessel
that I wanted to speak into a little harbour there" (Baye du Cap),
"and, to my surprise, found that the French were again at war with
our nation. After being detained one day I got a pilot, and came
round to Port N.W." (Port Louis) "on December 16th last. I waited
upon the captain-general, and, after being kept two hours in the
street, had an audience, but it was to be told that I was an
imposter, the improbability of Captain Flinders coming in so small
a vessel being thought so great as to discredit my passport and
commission. Finally, Mr. Atkin, formerly master of the
_Investigator_, and me were brought ashore as prisoners at 2
o'clock in the morning, all my books and papers were taken away,
and a sentinel with fix't bayonet was placed in the room where we
lodged. After undergoing an examination next day, I thought
circumstances were going in my favour, but in three days an order
was issued to put my seamen on board the prison-ship, the vessel's
stores in the arsenal, a