The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders

Chapter 5. Australian Geography Before Flinders.

The predecessors of Flinders. How Australia grew on the map. Mediaeval controversies on antipodes. Period of vague speculation. Sixteenth century maps. The Dutch voyagers. The Batavia on the Abrolhos Reef. The Duyfhen in the Gulf. Torres. The three periods of Australian maritime discovery. Geographers and their views of Australia. The theory of the dividing strait. Cook and Furneaux. The untraced southern coast.

Chapter 6. the Reliance and the Tom Thumb.

Governor Hunter. Captain Waterhouse. Flinders' passion for exploring new countries. Joins the Reliance. Hunter on the strategic importance of the Cape. Sailing of Reliance and Supply for New South Wales. Flinders' observations. Arrival at Port Jackson. George Bass. The Tom Thumb. Exploration of George's River. A perilous cruise. Meeting with aboriginals. The midshipman as valet. Port Hacking. Patching up the Reliance. Voyage to South Africa.

Chapter 7. the Discovery of Bass Strait.

Bass in the Blue Mountains. Supposed strait isolating Van Diemen's Land. Bass's whaleboat voyage. Wilson's Promontory. Escaped convicts. Discovery of Westernport. Return to Port Jackson.

Chapter 8. the Voyage of the Francis.

The wreck of the Sydney Cove. Discovery of Kent's Islands. Biological notes. Seals. Sooty petrels. The wombat. Point Hicks.

Chapter 9. Circumnavigation of Tasmania.

Flinders in command of the Norfolk. Bass's association with him. Twofold Bay. Discovery of Port Dalrymple. Bass Strait demonstrated. Black swans. Albatross Island. Tasmanian aboriginals.

Chapter 10. the Fate of George Bass.

Bass's marriage. Part owner of the Venus. Voyages after pork. A fishing concession. South American enterprise. Unsaleable goods. A "diplomatic-looking certificate." Bass's last voyage. Probable fate in Peru. His missing letters.

Chapter 11. on the Queensland Coast.

Flinders and the Isaac Nicholls case. Exploration on the Queensland coast. Moreton Bay.

CHAPTER 12. THE INVESTIGATOR.

Return to England in the Reliance. Sir Joseph Banks. Marriage of Flinders. Ann Chappell and Chappell Island. The Franklins. Publication of Observations on the Coasts of Van Diemen's Land, on Bass Strait and its Islands. Anxiety about French expedition. The Investigator commissioned. Equipment of ship. The staff and crew. East India Company's interest. Instructions for the voyage. The case of Mrs. Flinders. Sailing orders delayed. The incident at the Roar. Life on board. Crossing the Line. Australia reached.

Chapter 13. the French Expedition.

Origin of Baudin's expedition. His instructions. Baudin's dilatoriness. In Tasmanian waters. Waterhouse Island.

CHAPTER 14. SOUTH COAST DISCOVERY.

The south coast of Australia. Method of research. Aboriginals at King George's Sound. Discovery of Spencer's Gulf. Loss of Thistle and a boat's crew. Memory Cove. Port Lincoln. Kangaroo Island. St. Vincent's Gulf. Pelicans. Speculations on the fate of Laperouse.

Chapter 15. Flinders and Baudin in Encounter Bay.

The sighting of Le Geographe. Flinders visits Baudin. Their conversations. Flinders invites Baudin to visit Port Jackson.

Chapter 16. Flinders in Port Phillip.

Grant's discoveries. Murray discovers Port Phillip. King Island. Flinders enters Port Phillip. Ascends Arthur's Seat. The Investigator aground. Cruise in a boat. Ascends Station Peak. Flinders' impression of the port. Arrival in Port Jackson. Healthiness of his crew.

Chapter 17. the French At Port Jackson: Peron the Spy.

Arrival of Le Geographe at Port Jackson. State of the crew. Hospitality of Governor King. Rumours as to French designs. Baudin's gratitude. Peron's report on Port Jackson. His espionage. Freycinet's plan of invasion. Scientific work of the expedition.

Chapter 18. Australia Circumnavigated.

Overhaul of the ship. The Lady Nelson. Flinders sails north. Discovery of Port Curtis and Port Bowen. Through the Barrier Reef. Torres Strait. Remarks on Coral Reefs. The Gulf of Carpentaria. Rotten condition of the ship. Melville Bay discovered. Sails for Timor. Australia circumnavigated. The Investigator condemned. Illness of Flinders. News of father's death. Letter to step-mother. Letters to Mrs. Flinders. Letter to Bass. The end of the Investigator.

Chapter 19. Wrecked on the Barrier Reef.

New plans. Flinders sails in the Porpoise. Remarks on Sydney. Wrecked. Conduct of the Bridgewater. Plans for relief. Stores available. Voyage in the Hope to Sydney. Franklin's description of the wreck.

Chapter 20. to Ile-De-France in the Cumberland.

King receives news of the wreck. The Cumberland. Wreck Reef reached. Voyage to Timor. Determination to sail to Ile-de-France. Flinders' reasons. Arrival at Baye du Cap. Arrival at Port Louis.

Chapter 21. General Decaen.

Decaen's early career. His baptism of fire. War in the Vendee. The Army of the Rhine. Moreau. Battle of Hohenlinden. Moreau and Napoleon. The peace of Amiens. Decaen's arrival at Pondicherry. His reception. Leaves for Ile-de-France. His character and abilities.

Chapter 22. the Captivity.

Flinders' reception by Decaen. His anger. Imprisoned at the Cafe Marengo. His papers and books. His examination. Refusal of invitation to dinner. Decaen's anger. His determination to detain Flinders. King's despatches. Decaen's statement of motives. Flinders asks to be sent to France.

Chapter 23. the Captivity Prolonged.

Decaen's despatch. A delayed reply. Flinders' occupations. His health. The sword incident. Anniversary of the imprisonment. Aken's liberation. The faithful Elder.

Chapter 24. the Captivity Modified.

Thomas Pitot. Removal to Wilhelm's Plains. The parole. Madame D'Arifat's house. Hospitalities. Flinders studies French and Malay. Further exploration schemes. The residence of Laperouse. Work upon the charts. King's protest and Decaen's anger. Elder's departure.

Chapter 25. the Order of Release.

Influences to secure release. The order of release. Receipt of the despatch. Decaen's reply. Flinders a dangerous man. Reason for Decaen's refusal. State of Ile-de-France. Project for escape. Flinders' reasons for declining.

Chapter 26. the Release.

Blockade of Ile-de-France. Decaen at the end of his tether. Release of Flinders. Return to England. The plagiarism charge. Flinders' papers. Work of Peron and Freycinet.

Chapter 27. Last Years and Death of Flinders.

Flinders in London. Prolonged and severe work. His illness. Death of Flinders. His last words. Treatment of his widow by the Admiralty.

Chapter 28. Characteristics.

Personality. Portraits. Flinders' commanding look. Geniality. Conversational powers. Gentleness. Kindness to wounded French officer. Advice to young officers. An eager student. The husband.

Chapter 29. the Navigator.

Technical writings. The marine barometer. Variations in the compass. Praise of other navigators. Love for his work.

CHAPTER 30. THE NAMING OF AUSTRALIA.

The name Australia given to the continent by Flinders. The "Austrialia del Espiritu Santo" of Quiros. De Brosses and "Australasia." Dalrymple and "Australia." Flinders' use of the word in 1804. His use of it in a French essay in 1810. Persistent employment of the word in letters. Proposes the word "Australia" to Banks. His fight for his word. "Terra Australis." The footnote of 1814.

APPENDIX A. BAUDIN'S NARRATIVE OF THE MEETING IN ENCOUNTER BAY.

APPENDIX B. PERON'S REPORT ON PORT JACKSON.

Appendix C. Names Given by Flinders to Australian Coastal Features.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

INDEX.

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. PORTRAIT OF MATTHEW FLINDERS, AGED 27.

From the engraving in the "Naval Chronicle," 1814, after a miniature in the possession of Mrs. Flinders.

2. FLINDERS' BIRTHPLACE, DONINGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE.

(From photograph lent by Mr. George Gordon McCrae.)

3. FACSIMILE OF LETTER TO SIR JOSEPH BANKS, 1794.

(Mitchell Library.)

H.M.S Bellerophon

Spithead March 20th 1794.

Sir Joseph,

Yesterdays Post brought me a Letter from Mr. Miles, in Answer to the one I wrote him for his Power of Attorney, after I had the Honour of waiting upon you in the Country, at which Time you were pleased to express a Desire to be informed when it should arrive; in Compliance with which, I now take the Liberty of addressing you. It seems he has not sent the Power, but says he enclosd something like one to you by which it appears he is not exactly acquainted with the Business in Question, he tells me he has explained his Sense of the Matter in your Letter and begd that the remaining Sum might be paid to Mr. Dixon or Mr. Lee, from whom he wishes me to receive it. When I wrote for the Power, I explaind to him (as far as my Knowledge of the Subject extended) the Necessity of his sending it, that he was to consider himself as employd by Government, that it was from the Treasury his Salary was to be got and that they would require some Authority for paying it to me--at present Sir, I am at a Loss how to proceed; whether what he has sent will be sufficient, or whether it will still be necessary to get a regular Power is what I must trespass upon your Generosity for a Knowledge of the doing which will add to the Obligation your Goodness before conferd upon me; with a gratefull Sense of which I beg leave to subscribe myself, Sir Joseph

your much obligd and

most humble Servant

Mattw. Flinders.

To Sir Jos Banks Bart.

4. TABLET ON MEMORIAL ERECTED BY SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AT PORT LINCOLN, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

THIS PLACE

from which the Gulf and its Shores were first surveyed on 26. Feb, 1802 by MATTHEW FLINDERS, R.N. Commander of H.M.S. Investigator the Discoverer of the Country now called South Australia was set apart on 12. Jan. 1841 with the sanction of LT. COL. GAWLER. K.H. then Governor of the Colony and in the first year of the government of CAPT. G. GREY adorned with this Monument to the perpetual Memory of the illustrious Navigator his honored Commander by JOHN FRANKLIN. CAPT. R.N. K.C.H. K.R. LT. GOVERNOR OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.

5. MEMORIAL ON MOUNT LOFTY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

FLINDERS COLUMN

IN HONOUR OF MATTHEW FLINDERS

COMMANDER OF THE INVESTIGATOR

WHO FROM KANGAROO HEAD, KANGAROO ISLAND

DISCOVERED AND NAMED MOUNT LOFTY

ON TUESDAY 23RD. MARCH 1802

THIS TABLET WAS UNVEILED AND THE COLUMN NAMED

BY HIS EXCELLENCY LORD TENNYSON. 22ND. MARCH 1902.

6. MAP OF FLINDERS' VOYAGES IN BASS STRAIT.

FLINDERS' VOYAGES IN BASS STRAIT IN THE FRANCIS, NORFOLK, AND INVESTIGATOR.

7. BASS'S EYE-SKETCH OF WESTERNPORT.

Western Port on the South Coast of NW. SOUTH WALES from Mr. Bass's Eye-sketch. 1798.

8. PORTRAIT OF GEORGE BASS.

9. PAGE FROM FLINDERS' MANUSCRIPT NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE OF THE FRANCIS, 1798.

(Melbourne Public Library.)

Continue reading The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders free in the Wunder reader →