A Voyage to Terra Australis. Matthew Flinders

and accurate survey of Torres' Strait, and when that shall have been completed, you are to examine and survey the whole of the remainder of the north, the west, and the north-west coasts of New Holland, and especially those parts of the coast most likely to be fallen in with by East-India ships in their outward-bound passages. And you are to examine as particularly as circumstances will allow, the bank which extends itself from the Trial Rocks towards Timor, in the hope that by ascertaining the depth and nature of the soundings thereon, great advantage may arise to the East-India Company's ships, in case that passage should hereafter be frequented by them.

      So soon as you shall have completed the whole of these surveys and examinations as above directed, you are to proceed to, and examine very carefully the east coast of New Holland, seen by captain Cook, from Cape Flattery to the Bay of Inlets; and in order to refresh your people, and give the advantage of variety to the painters, you are at liberty to touch at the Fejees, or some other of the islands in the South Seas.

      During the course of the survey, you are to use the tender under your command as much as possible; moving the Investigator onward from one harbour to another as they shall be discovered, in order that the naturalists may have time to range about and collect the produce of the earth, and the painters allowed time to finish as many of their works as they possibly can on the spot where they may have been begun: And when you shall have completed the whole of the surveys and examinations as abovementioned, you are to lose no time in returning with the sloop under your command to England for farther orders, touching on your way, if necessary, at the Cape of Good Hope, and repairing with as little delay as possible to Spithead, and transmit to our secretary an account of your arrival.

      During your continuance on the service above-mentioned, you are, by all proper opportunities, to send to our secretary for our information, accounts of your proceedings and copies of the surveys and drawings which you shall have made, and such papers as the Naturalist and the Painters employed on board may think proper to send home; and upon your arrival in England you are immediately to repair to this office in order to lay before us a full account of your proceedings in the whole course of your voyage; taking care before you leave the sloop to demand from the officers and petty officers the log books and journals which they may have kept and such drawings and charts as they may have taken, and to seal them up for our inspection.

      And whereas you have been furnished with a plant cabin for the purpose of depositing therein such plants, trees, shrubs, etc., as may be collected during the survey above-mentioned, you are, when you arrive at Sydney Cove, to cause the said plant cabin to be fitted up by the carpenter on the quarter deck of the sloop you command, according to the intention of its construction; and you are to cause boxes for containing earth to be made and placed therein, in the same manner as was done in the plant cabin carried out by the Porpoise store ship, which plant cabin you will find at Sydney Cove.

      You are, to place the said plant cabin, with the boxes of earth contained in it, under the charge and care of the naturalist and gardener, and to cause to be planted therein during the survey, such plants, trees, shrubs, etc., as they may think suitable for the Royal Gardens at Kew; and you are, as often as you return to Sydney Cove, to cause the said plants to be deposited in the governor's garden and under his charge, there to remain until you sail for Europe: And so soon as you shall be preparing to return home, you are to cause the small plant cabin to be removed from the sloop's quarter deck, and the one brought out by the Porpoise (which is something larger), to be placed there in its stead. In this last mentioned cabin the naturalist and gardener are to place the plants, trees, shrubs, etc., which may have been collected during the survey, in order to their being brought home for His Majesty; and you are, so soon as the sloop shall arrive at any port in England, to give notice of her arrival to His Majesty's botanic gardener at Kew, and to transmit to him a list and state of the said plants etc., which the gardener employed under your orders is to furnish you with for that purpose.

      Given under our hands the 22nd of June, 1801.

      (Signed),

      ST. VINCENT.

      T. TRUBRIDGE.

      J. MARKHAM.

      To MATTHEW FLINDERS, Esq.

      Commander of His Majesty's sloop

      Investigator, at Spithead.

      By command of their Lordships,

      (Signed,)

      EVAN NEPEAN.

      The instructions were accompanied with the extract of a memoir from Mr. Dalrymple, respecting the winds and weather to be expected, principally upon the south coast of Terra Australis. Also with the following PASSPORT from the French government.

      LE PREMIER CONSUL DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, sur le compte qui lui a été rendu de la demande faite par le LORD HAWKESBURY au Citoyen Otto, commissaire du gouvernement Français à Londres, d'un Passeport pour la corvette Investigator, dont le signalement est ci-après, expédiée par be gouvernement Anglais, sous le commandement du capitaine Matthew Flinders, pour un voyage de découvertes dans la Mer Pacifique, ayant décidé que ce passeport seroit accordé, et que cette expédition, dont l'objet est d'étendre les connoissances humaines, et d'assurer davantage les progrès de la science nautique et de la géographie, trouveroit de la part du gouvernement Français la sureté et la protection nécessaires.

      LE MINISTRE DE LA MARINE ET DES COLONIES ordonne en conséquence à tous les commandants des bâtiments de guerre de la République, à ses agens dans toutes les colonies Françaises, aux commandants des bâtiments porteurs do lettres de marque, et à tous a autres qu'il appartiendra, de laisser passer librement et sans empêchement, ladite corvette Investigator, ses officiers, équipage, et effets, pendant la durée de leur voyage; de leur permettre d'aborder dans les différents ports de la République, tant in Europe que dans les autres parties du monde, soit qu'ils soient forcés par le mauvais tems d'y chercher un refuge, soit qu'ils viennent y reclamer les secours et les moyens de reparation nécessaires pour continuer leur voyage. Il est bien entendu, cependant, qu'ils ne trouveront ainsi protection et assistance, que dans le cas ou ils ne se seront pas volontairement détournés de la route qu'ils doivent suivre, qu'ils n'auront commis, ou qu'ils n'annonceront l'intention de commettre aucune hostilité contre la République Française et ses alliés, qu'ils n'auront procuré, ou cherché à procurer aucun secours à ses ennemis, et qu'ils ne s'occuperont d'aucune espéce de commerce, ni de contrebande.

      Fait à Paris le quatre Prairial an neuf de la République Française.

      Le Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies

      (signed) FORFAIT.

      Par le Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies

      (Signed)

      CHes. M. JURIEN.

      Signalement de la corvette.

      La corvette l'Investigator est du port de 334 tonneaux. Son équipage est composé de 83 hommes, outre cinq hommes de lettres.

      Son artillerie est de 6 carronades de 12.

      2 ditto de 18.

      2 canons de 6.

      2 pierriers.

      Le soussigné, commissaire du gouvernement Français à Londres, certifie le signalement ci-dessus conforme à la note qui lui a été communiquée par le ministre de Sa Majesté Britannique.

      Londres le 4 Messidor an 9.

      (Signed) OTTO.

      In consequence of this passport, I received directions from the Admiralty "to act in all respects towards French ships as if the two countries were not at war; and," it was added, "with respect to the ships and vessels of other powers with which this country is at war, you are to avoid, if possible, having any communication with them; and not to take letters or packets other than such as you may receive from this office, or the office of His Majesty's secretary of state."

      From His Grace the duke of Portland, I carried an order to the governor of New South Wales to place the brig Lady Nelson under my command, on arriving at Port Jackson; and also