[This is a page cut from Flinders' journal in HMS Providence. See also FLI/8a. Dated to January 1797.]

_______________________________________________________
into and at Table Bay – Cape of Good Hope

17^th Fresh breezes off the Table land with squalls. – Got off 106 lbs of mutton.-
Carried out a kedge to steady the ship A.M. Light airs – at 5 weighed the Kedge
and hove up: warped up the bay. At 11 came to with the small bower in 3 f^ms
18^th The sea breeze setting in instead of the SE as we expected to moor with
carried a kedge downwards and moored. – the Wharf SWbS 1 mile. The
Supply was likewise moored, a little farther out. – At 7 Squally w. struck
lower yards and topgall^t masts A.M. Got them down on deck and struck
Topmasts having obtained the Admirals permiƒsion . Received on board fresh
beef, and having come from sea, vegetables and some fruit; which it seems
is supplied to all ships arriving here on application. – We got Grapes,
peaches and sometimes pears or apples in moderate quantity; the vege-
-tables were of almost every kind and sufficient in quantity –
–19 Fired a royal salute in honour of the Queens birthday, as did all the
Ships and the almost innumerable Forts here. – Began stripping the
fore-mast to be examined A.M. Unbent the sails. Rec^d fresh beef &^ca
–21^st Blowing very hard this last two days, the sand from the shore co-
-vering the masts, yards & riggings. – Bent the storm-stay-sails in case of
parting from our anchor. – Two brigs were driven on shore near the large
fort, one of which only, was after wards got off, and a Dutch prize was driven
out to sea; indeed all the small craft in shore and several of the Ships
either dragged or parted but afterwards brought up. Before dark let go
the sheet-anchor underfoot, and veer'd a few fathoms on the small bower
to let it take. – A..M. little wind in the morning; hove up and stowed
the sheet anchor. – Employed about the rigging
–23^rd Employed as before and on occasional duties, got off beef and mutton
– fruit and vegetables every morning except the 20^th The proportion
of mutton received to beef was 1/3^rd                           my
–24^th Having thro' Capt. Waterhouse applied to paƒs to examination;
this morning I attended at the Admirals, and after being ask [sic] a few ques-
-tions, some days after received the following certificate

In pursuance of directions from Tho-
-mas Pringle Esq. Rear Admiral of
the Red, and Commander of His Ma-
-jesty's ships and veƒsels at the Cape
of Good Hope &^c &^c &^c

    We have examined M^r Matthew Flinders who appears to be
more than Twenty years of age, and has been to sea more that Six Years
in the Ships and Qualities undermentioned Viz

Ships	Entry	Quality	Discharge	Years	Months	Days
Alert Scipio Bellerophon ----Do ------ Dictator Providence ----Do ------ Bellerophon ----Do ------ Reliance ----Do------	23rd October 1789 17th May 1790 28th July 1790 31 July 1790 14th April 1791 8 May 1791 2 April 1793 7th September 1793 1st October 1793 11th August 1794 25th Novembr 1795	Lieut. Servt Able Able Mid. Mid Mid Able Able Mid Mas. Mate Act. Lieut	16th May 1790 27th July 1790 30th July 1790 13 April 1791 7 May 1791 1 April 1793 6th Septembr 1793 30th September 1793 10th August 1794 24th November 1795 21st January 1797	--"– --"– --"– --"– --"– 1 " " " 1 1 ____ 7	---6--- 2 " 8– " 10 5 " 10 3 1 ____ 2	24 12 3 14 25 25 25 24 10 15 28 ____ 29

    He produceth Jour-
-nals kept by himself in the Bellerophon and Reliance, and Certificates
from Captains Burdon, Pasley, Tonken, Bligh, Hope and Waterhouse
of his diligence, sobriety and obedience to Command, he can splice,
Knot, Reef a sail, work a ship in sailing, shift his Tides, keep a reck-
-oning of the ships way by Plane sailing and Mercator, observe by the
Sun or Star, find the Variation of the Compaƒs, and is qualified to
do his duty as an Able Seaman and a Midshipman.