t (for the truth of which I appeal to his
letters now in your possession), that he gave me a colonial ship of war
to transport me with my officers, charts, etc. to England, that I might
obtain another ship in which the voyage might be completed. In this
second ship I was a passenger; and in her, shipwreck and the loss of
charts which had cost me much labour and many risks to make perfect, were
added to my first misfortune; but my zeal suffered no abatement. I
returned to Port Jackson (734 miles) in an open boat, and got a merchant
ship which was bound to China, hired to carry my officers and people to
England by that circuitous route; but desirous of losing no time, I took
a small schooner of twenty-nine tons, a mere boat, in order to reach
England by a nearer passage, and thus gain two or three mouths of time in
the outfit of my future expected ship; making my own case and safety to
stand in no competition with the great object of forwarding my voyage.
Necessity, and not inclination, obliged me to put in at the Isle of
France in my route.

Now, Sir, I would beg to ask you whether it becomes the French nation,
independently of all passport, to stop the progress of such a voyage, and
of which the whole maritime world are to receive the benefit? How
contrary to this was her conduct some years since towards captain Cook!
But the world highly applauded her conduct then; and possibly we may
sometime see what the general sentiment will be in the present case.

I sought protection and assistance in your port, and I have found a
prison! Judge for me as a man, Sir--judge, for me as a British officer
employed in a neutral occupation--judge for me as a zealous
philanthropist, what I must feel at being thus treated.

At present I quit the subject with the following requests: that I may be
permitted to have my printed books on shore; and that my servant may be
allowed to attend me in my apartment.

With all the respect due from my situation to the captain-general,

I am
From my confinement,
Your Excellency's obedient servant,
Dec. 21, 1803.
Matthew Flinders.

The lapse of several years has enabled me to consider the transactions of
this period under different views, to regard them with almost the
coolness of an uninterested observer; and I see the possibility that a
dispassionate reader may accuse me of taking too high a position, and
using too warm a style--in rather giving way to the dictates of feeling
than dwelling upon