by saying you were not well – and he told me that Miƒs Flinders
was not with you – I made some enquiries of him at the
time which satisfied me as to his identity which indeed
his likeneƒs to his father ^ ^{might have told me} – but I could not well account
for his being on board the ship not as an apprentice – but
as one of the Seamen – I therefore begged a naval friend
and my A-D-C to go on board and ascertain from the
Captain & mates what they could respecting him –
for there are so many who leave their friends on
account of their wild habits & conduct and embark
in merchant veƒsels coming here – that I have found it
neceƒsary to be very careful in enquiring into the causes
of their proceedings before I can notice them though I may
know their parents – and if they have not run away
or have acted disgracefully so that their parents cannot
recognize them they have generally continued to get
recommended to my notice by some friend or other of mine.
    I was glad to find young Mathew Flinders to be spoken
well of by his Captain & officers – I gathered from him
that he was ready to do whatever I advised him either
to remain here if I could give him a situation or
return home on the ship – he told the gentlemen whom
I had sent that he was the only son – and that he had
three sisters (I beleive) [sic] that some money was to be
divided amongst them left by his Father and I subsequently
learnt the same facts from himself – and that he expected
the money would be paid to them in October next by
the Trustees of his Father – It appeared to me therefore
of much importance to himself & his family as he was
the only son – that he should not be absent from
England at that time – from the experience of every one