ROUND THE WORLD WITH CAPTAIN COOK 21 



of again. Some messages had been received from the 

 ship's company early on the voyage. Mr. Pennant had a 

 letter from Rio Janeiro ; and then silence closed over 

 them. In October, 1770, there must have been unpleasant 

 rumour about them in the newspapers. Pennant, writing 

 to his friend the Rev. George Ashby, says, " I do not 

 know what to say about Mr. Banks. The account shocked 

 me greatly. What makes me uneasy is that I do not hear 

 anybody had a line from him from the Falkland Islands, 

 which were long in our possession after he touched at 

 them. I have wrote to his family, and hope to find the 

 newspapers contradicted." 



All misgivings were set at rest in May, 1771, by the 

 arrival in London of news from Sydney Parkinson. 

 The poor man had written from Batavia, and his letter 

 reached England only two months before his more 

 fortunate fellow- voyagers. The Endeavour cast anchor 

 in the Downs on July 12. Mr. Banks landed the same 

 day and proceeded to London. 



During these years of absence Banks was not forgotten 

 by his friends. Upon his reappearance there was universal 

 joy, especially " among the learned and curious." It 

 was not merely restoration to his own circle. Banks 

 leaped into fame, and became a person of importance. 

 The success of the hazardous voyage to which he had 

 committed himself, and the rumour of his achievements 

 in Natural History, caused him to be welcomed by all 

 that class of Englishmen who admire the results of hardy 

 and intrepid action. The Royal Society was not in 

 session, but the President, Sir John Pringle, speedily 

 carried him off to Kew, and introduced him to George III. 

 The King granted him an interview on August 10 ; when 

 Banks and Solander had a long conference with His 

 Majesty on the discoveries they had made, and their 

 marvellous adventures among the islands of the South. 



