Browse the documents Browse the documents Search
Advanced search
The Flinders papersletters and documents about the explorer Matthew Flinders (1774-1814)
 
You are here: Flinders > Browse the Documents > Documents > Documents
 
All pages | 1 | 2 | Back to Index

Letter from Matthew Flinders to Ann Flinders (33 of 41) (FLI25) Page 2


India in order to reach England is, I hope, his last spurt of animosity. It
is now five or six weeks since this cartel was to sail, but the arrival of our
cruizers again off the island, after the hurricane season, has prolonged our de-
tention. At length yesterday was fixed for our sailing, when the Cape cartel
came in sight, and we are still kept in order, as I suppose, to know what has
been the conduct of the governor of that place towards the French prisoners.
I flatter myself with some hope of receiving some letters by this occasion from
the Cape, and perhaps from thee, my dear friend, from whom I am without
any letter for more than three years.
      I now write to thee in the hope that I may find an occasion
of getting the letter on board one of our cruizers in going out of the
port; having little or no hope that I can myself quit the cartel to go
directly to the Cape; the commander of our squadron having, as we are
told, promised to take no person out of this ship. In going to India,
the time of my arrival ^ at home will probably be prolonged from four to six
months; so that I cannot hope to reach London before January and
perhaps February next, although we should be allowed to sail tomorrow,
which is very uncertain even yet. Before filling my paper any further, I
will wait to see whether I have any and what letters in the French cartel;
only requesting thee, as I write to no other person but thee, to inform Sir
Joseph Banks
of this intelligence, and also all our principal friends,
saying that I am in good health and better spirits than I have long been.


All pages | 1 | 2 | Back to Index
View Print Friendly Version


Related people
Minto, Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of (Lord Minto)
Hope, Hugh
De Caen, Charles Mathieu Isadore
Banks, Sir Joseph
Flinders, Matthew

Places
Ile de France (Mauritius)
Cape of Good Hope

Words and phrases
Cartel
Parole
Admiralty

Related Documents
Other documents written by Flinders, Matthew

Other documents received by Chappelle (Flinders), Ann

Other documents written in 1810