The Life of Captain Matthew FlindersScott, Ernest, Sir
History
The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders
Scott, Ernest, Sir
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Flinders, Matthew, 1774-1814
Of the whole crew (and the total ship's company numbered 83) only two
caused any trouble to the commander. As these two "required more severity
in reducing to good order than I wished to exercise in a service of this
nature," when the Investigator reached the Cape, Flinders arranged with
the Admiral there, Sir Roger Curtis, to exchange them--as well as two
others who from lack of sufficient strength were not suitable--for four
sailors upon the flagship, who made a pressing application to go upon a
voyage of discovery. Thus purged of a very few refractories and
inefficients, the ship's company was a happy, loyal and healthy crew, of
whom the commander was justifiably proud.
The officers and scientific staff were chosen with a view to making the
voyage fruitful in utility. The first lieutenant, Robert Fowler, had
served on the ship when she was the Xenophon. He was a Lincolnshire man,
hailing from Horncastle, and had been a schoolfellow of Banks. But it was
not through Sir Joseph's influence that he was selected. Flinders made
his acquaintance while the refitting of the vessel was in progress, and
found him desirous of making the voyage. As his former captain spoke well
of him, his services were accepted. Samuel Ward Flinders went as second
lieutenant, and there were six midshipmen, of whom John Franklin was one.
Originally it was intended that Mungo Park, the celebrated African
traveller, who was at this time in England looking round for employment,
should go to Australia on the Investigator, and act as naturalist. But no
definite engagement was entered into; the post remained vacant, and a
Portuguese exile living in London, Correa de Sena, introduced to Banks a
young Scottish botanist who desired to go, describing him as one "fitted
to pursue an object with a staunch and a cold mind." Robert Brown was
then not quite twenty-seven years of age. Like the gusty swashbuckler,
Dugald Dalgetty, he had been educated at the Marischal College, Aberdeen.
For a few years he served as ensign and assistant surgeon of a Scottish
regiment, the Fife Fencibles. Always a keen botanist, he found a ready
friend in Banks, who promised to recommend him "for the purpose of
exploring the natural history, amongst other things." His salary was 420
pounds a year, and he earned it by admirable service. Brown remained in
Australia for two years after the discovery voyage, and his great
Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, which won the praise of Humboldt, is a
classic monument to the extent and value of his researches.
William Westall was appointed landscape and figure draftsman to the
expedition at a salary of 315 pounds per annum. The nine fine engravings
which adorn the Voyage to Terra Australis are his work. He was but a
youth of nineteen when he made this voyage. Afterwards he attained repute
as a landscape painter, and was elected as Associate of the Royal
Academy. One hundred and thirty-eight of his drawings made on the
Investigator are preserved.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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