CAPTAT^^ BLTGH S SECOND TOTAOE TO THE SOUTH SEA 28 



Althouo-h not himself a naturalist, the lop^ supplies ample evidence 

 that Bligh was an intelligent oljserver and interested in the natural 

 productions of the localities visited. It indeed abounds in incidental 

 notes on trees and other plants, although, of course, its value lies 

 chie% in the account of the natives of the various reo-ions. 



BUgh's career after his return to England is brie% summarised 

 in the preface to the volume, and is, of course, more fully dealt 

 with in the Dictionary of National Biocjrapliy. In that work, 

 however, there is a gap l3etween 1797 and 1801, and it may be 

 interesting to note that this is to some extent filled by the letters from 

 Bligh, hitherto unpublished, included in the transcriot of the Banksian 

 Correspondence which is preserved in the Department of Botanv in 

 seventeen folio volumes. It maybe noted incidentally that these, the 

 contents of which range from 1766 to 1819, are fully indexed under 

 writers and are readily accessible ; the letters, manj^ of them from 

 persons of historical importance, contain much information relatino" 

 to the period, and deserve to be more generally known. 



Bligh's letters, as was pointed out by the present writer in the 

 Times Literally Supplement (August 25, 1921), range from Oct. 13, 

 1789, to Nov. 5, 18U7 ; they are supplemented by others from Bligh's 

 wife (1808-9), relating to and written after his supersession as 

 Governor of Sydney. From an earlier letter (Dec. 5, 1795) it appears 

 that at that period Bligh thought of retiring from the Navy, and his 

 wife wrote to Banks asking him to use his influence to obtain for her 

 husband a position then vacant in Greenwich Hospital, on the ground 

 that his health was " much impaired by service." Banks wrote to 

 Earl Spencer strongly urging Banks's claims, but the vacancy had 

 already been filled. The letters, especially those relating to Bligh's 

 conduct in Sydney, contain much of interest, but for j^resent pur- 

 poses it is sufficient to call attention to their existence. 



Although not a botanist, Bligh's election as F.B.S. in 1801 was 

 partly " in consideration of his distinguished services in botany." 

 Nor could James Wiles and Christopher Smith, at the period of 

 the expedition, which they accompanied, be regarded as " skilled 

 botanists " ; their engagement was due to Banks, a transcript of 

 whose instructions, the original of which was in his own hand, will 

 be found in the Banksian Correspondence (vii. 218-226). The 

 instructions are very full, relating to the various places where the 

 ship might be expected to call ; and, while insisting on the primary 

 object of the expedition, urge the claims of the Eoyal Gardens : 

 " Whenever you shall meet with plants in your opinion particularly 

 beautifull or curious, you are to acquaint the commanding officer, who, 

 if he thinks proper, will give you leave to take on board one or two 

 of each sort for the use of His Majesty's Botanic Garden at Kew ; 

 provided, however, that the stock of bread-fruit trees and useful 

 plants is never diminished by the admission of curious ones, which 

 are on no account to be planted except in such pots or cases in which 



the bread-fruit and other usefull plants have died On the 



ship's arrival in the English seas, whichever of you is on board must 

 take the earliest opportunity to ac (paint me by letter of her return, 



