"Demanded: the Captain's name? "Answered: Matthew Flinders. "D.: From what place the Cumberland sailed? "A.: From Port Jackson. "D.: At what time? "A.: The Captain does not recollect the date of his departure. He thinks it is on the 20th of September. "D.: What is the purpose of his expedition? "A.: His only motive was to proceed on to England as soon as possible, to make the report of his voyages and to request a ship to continue them. "D.: What can be the reason which has determined Captain Flinders to undertake a voyage on board of the so small a vessel? "A.: To avoid losing two months on proceeding by China, for a ship sailing from Port Jackson was to put in China. "D.: Does not Port Jackson offer frequent opportunities for Europe? "A.: There are some, as he has observed it above, but that ship putting in China is the reason which determined him not to proceed that way. "D.: At what place had the Cumberland put in? "A.: At Timor. "D.: What could be the reason of her putting in at Timor? "A.: To take fresh provision and water. He has left Timor 34 days ago. D.: What passports or certificates has he taken in that place? "A.: None. "D.: What has been his motive for his coming at the Isle of France? "A.: The want of water. His pumpers (sic) are bad, and his vessel is very leaky. "D.: To what place does Captain Flinders intend to go to from this island? "A.: Having no passport for the Dutch Government, he cannot put in the Cape, according to his wishes, and will be obliged to stop at St. Helena. "D.: What can be the reason of his having none of his officiers, naturalis, or any of the other persons employed in said expedition? "A.: Two of these gentlemen have remained in Port Jackson to repair on board of the ship Captain Flinders expected to obtain in England,* and the rest have proceeded on to China. (* "Pour s'embarquer sur le vaisseau que le Cap. Flinders a espoir d'obtenir en Angleterre," in the French. That is to say, Brown and Bauer remained behind till Flinders came out again with another ship.) "D.: What reason induced Captain Flinders to chase a boat in sight of the island? "A.: Being never to this island, he was not acquainted with the harbour. Seeing a French vessel he chased her* for the only purpose of obtaining a pilot, and seeing her entering a bay he followed her. (* It is singular that Flinders did not take exception to this word "chased" in the translation when he signed it. The French version of his statement is correct: "il forca de voile, NON POUR LUY APPUYER CHASSE mais pour luy demander un pilote." The German translator boggled between the French and the English.) "D.: What reason had he to make the land to leewards, the different directories pointing out the contrary route to anchor in the harbour. "A.: He came to windwards, but the wind shifting contrary he took to leewards and perceiving said vessel he followed her and anchored in the same bay. He has no chart of the island.