Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/83

SKETCH, Ixxii may be seen in a letter to his patron accounting for his determin- ation to visit Ceylon and India for professional purposes, instead of returning to England with the sketches he had taken in New Holland. It is necessary to explain that the Investigator having been condemned in Sydney Cove in 1803, before Flinders had time to accomplish his work, he went on board the Porpoise as a passenger to England. On his way through Torres Straits, the ship struck on a reef ; and Flinders returned to Sydney in an open boat to obtain assistance for the crew, who were left on the wreck to await his return. The only vessel at the Governor's disposal — a little schooner named the Cumberland, of twenty-nine tons — ^was placed at his service ; and in her he returned to the wreck, took ofE the crew, and then sailed for England, putting in at Port Louis on his way, where he was made prisoner by the French. Westall seems to have left him at Sydney, and gone on board a ship bound for China. Ship Carron, Canton River, Sir, January 31, 1804. As my returning to England direct for the purpose of executing the sketches that were saved from the Porpoise must appear absolutely necessary, I shall lay before you the principal reasons that have induced me to take India in my route hoine. I am sorry to say the voyage to New Holland has not answered my expectations in any one way ; for though I did not expect there was much to be got in New Holland, 1 should have been fully recompensed for being so long on that barren coast by the richness of the South Sea Islands which, on leaving England, I had reason to suppose we should have wintered at, instead of Port Jackson. I was not aware the voyage was confined to New Holland only ; had I known this, I most certainly would not have engaged in a hazardous voyage where I could have little opportunity of employing my pencil with any advantage to myself or my employei-s. I mentioned these circumstances to Mr. Lance, and my desire of going to Ceylon, a country where I could scarcely fail of success, for the rich and picturesque appearance of that island, every part affording infinite variety, must produce many subjects to a painter extremely valuable. And as no painter has yet been there, what I should acquire would be perfectly new and probably interesting, from the island being one of the richest in India, and lately acquired. Digitized by Google