trait de bienfais 3 qui doit etre cobtiu, et que j*ai plai de piiblier.'* The sailor Clover nor was greatly moved at the ingratitude of the French soldier. Flinders sent a letter, commenced at sea in the Ctimherhmd in Not. 1803, and concluded in close confineraent nearly a year afterwards at the Mauritius. He told King how he had *' waited on the Captain-General, and after being kept two hours in the street had an audience, but it was to be told that I was an impostor, the improbability of Captain Flinders coming in so small a vessel being thought so great as to discredit my pass- port and commission/* He told how disease had preyed upon him, and how even speech with him, except under Governor De Caen's permission, had been for a time forbidden.
- Tliia accoiuit will not u little surprise yoii, my dear Sir, who have so
lately shown every attention to the Geotfraphe and the NatiiraHsle, bat a military tyrant knows no law or principle but w^hat appearB to liim for the immediate interest for his government, or the gratiticatioa of hia own private caprices. Passports, reciprocal Isindness, and national faith, are baits to catch cbi hi ren and fools with, antl none l>ut anch consider the pro- priety of the means by which their plans are to be pot in execution. Men of genius, heioea (that is, modern Freach GeDerals)^ are above those weak- nesses, I can give you no further explanation of General De Caen'a cou-«i duct, except that he sent mu word, 'I was not considered a prisoner of war/ and also, * that it was not any part of my own conduct that had occasioned my continement/ What i am suffering in promotion, peace of mind, fortune, fame, and ex erythiiig that man holds dear, it is not my in-j tention to detail, nor have 1 room." I King ^Tote a vigorous letter to De Caen, and enclosed it, open, to Eear-Adniiral Sir E. Pellew for transmission, if approved. He called to mind that Flinders had a French passport like that which insured friendliness to Baudin in^ Sydney.
- Nor was there a British subject that lessened the duties of hospitality I
natural t<j Englishmen liy a recollection that war existed between the two! nations. Their passport and distreHaes were the most powerful claims oa I ray duty in receiving them, and on the humanity of all descriptions afj His Majesty's subjects in coutrilmting to render their stay comfortable J and agreeaVile." Therefore, De Caen might guess King's feelings when he] found that Flinders,
- when he at least expected to be treated as a gentleman, was treated in
every rcsjKect as a spy, except in not bein^ executed as one. This un- deserved, unprecedented, and, I may add (cons+iderin^ his and Captain Baudhi'a relative situations), ungrateful treatment, which that meritorioiis officer has met with, must be a subject of concern to every man of science and himmnity." i
