Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/320

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FLINDERS AT PORT PHILLIP, 1802.


des secours si généreux et si puissans." Time made the geographical larceny as idle as the disingenuous compliment. Baudin had nothing to do with them. He died at the Mauritius before Flinders was imprisoned there. Flinders proceeded on his voyage, entered Port Phillip, and gave various names, which he waived when, on arriving at Sydney, he found that Murray had preceded him, under King's instructions. Like Murray, Flinders praised the appearance of the country at Arthur's Seat. On the 1st May 1802 he ascended Station Peak and deposited in a pile of stones on the top of the Peak the name of his ship. Unlike Murray, he had only friendly communication with the natives whom he saw. In Sydney he accepted the opportunity of treating the officers of the Geographe and the Naturaliste with the most brotherly kindness. tells us that " every means were used by the Governor and the principal inhabitants of the colony to make them forget both their sufferings and the war which existed between the two countries." A few days after anchoring at Sydney Flinders applied for permission to ship two aborigines "having before experienced the utility of their presence in bringing on a friendly communication with the inhabitants of other parts of New Holland." Permission was granted, and Flinders, although the Investigator was found to be unsound, pursued his voyage, Lt. Murray accompanying him with the Lady Nelson. After naming Port Curtis and examining other portions of the east coast, the bad sailing qualities of the Lady Nelson induced Flinders to send her back to Sydney from the Barrier Reef, while he proceeded with the Investigator and explored the Gulf of Carpentaria. Although his vessel, was so leaky that he was compelled to repair it, and in doing so, found to his dismay that few of the timbers were sound, he continued his survey until want of provisions, ill-health amongst his crew, and the unseaworthiness of his ship, necessitated his sailing to Timor, and thence to Sydney, where he arrived in June 1803,[1] The Investigator being there absolutely condemned, and no other vessel being available, Flinders with a heavy heart proceeded as a passenger by the Porpoise; but being

  1. Eleven convicts formed part of the crew of the Investigator.