LATE ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, ESQ. 261 



more efficient manner. Governor Macquarie became pos- 

 sessed of a copy of a letter from Mr Cunningham to Sir 

 Joseph Banks, (presumed to be surreptitiously taken by a 

 convict servant of Mr Cunningham's, who thouofht it would 

 facilitate his emancipation by making friends at head-quar- 

 ters,) in which he had complained (and most justifiably,) of the 

 very indifferent cases for packing his collections in that were 

 furnished to him from the lumber yard in Sydney; and also 

 of the very trifling assistance he received from the colonial 

 government officers in the furtherance of his pui-suits, together 

 with the consequent entailment of heavy expenses on his 

 various expeditions. Governor Macquarie, in a personal in- 

 terview with Mr Cunningham, accused him of writing to Sir 

 Joseph Banks, making charges against him (Governor Mac- 

 quarie,) and behaved in a manner that convinced Mr Cun- 

 ningham that a communication would be made to Sir Joseph 

 Banks on the subject. Mr Cunningham wrote a plain state- 

 ment of the facts to Sir Joseph Banks; Governor Macquarie 

 also addi'essed him, as Mr Cunningham had anticipated, and, 

 in answer to Mr Cunningham's letter, Sir Joseph Banks 

 writes thus : — " I have received, as you told me I should, a 

 letter from Governor Macquarie, very improperly finding 

 fault with you for complaining of his treatment, I have 

 answered it by telling him that nothing in your letter to me 

 bore the shape of a complaint; and that it was your duty, 

 agreeably to your instructions, to inform me what proportion 

 of assistance you should receive from the constituted authori- 

 ties of the colony; that Bowie haddone the same thing, and that 

 he had represented the assistance received from Lord Charles 

 Somerset, the governor, as very considerable, he having fur- 

 nished Bowie with the loan of a waggon and bullocks for his 

 journey, by which at least £200 would be spared from his ex- 

 penses. I hope and trust that my letter will induce him to 

 give you more encouragement than he has done; if not you 

 will recollect that he is soon to come home, and is likely to be 

 replaced by a more scientific governor. The voyage you are 

 now engaged in, w^hich will have been completed ere you re- 



