234 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



taken in Astronomy and Meteorology. A small observa- 

 tory was set up, which was mostly in the charge of 

 John Franklin, a young midshipman who was already 

 distinguishing himself in nautical and surveying work. 

 Franklin was usually selected for a companion when 

 Captain Flinders made excursions of any sort for scientific 

 purposes. 



These were the days of Governor King at Port Jackson, 

 a man who was of great assistance to the party in many 

 ways. And they soon had need of one who would help 

 them, and could do so. It was at length determined that 

 Captain Flinders should go home in the store-ship 

 Porpoise, while Mr. Brown and Mr. Bauer remained in 

 the country in order to proceed with their Natural 

 History studies. The Governor undertook to make them 

 comfortable, provide them with a house and one or two 

 convict servants, and a Government passage to England 

 in due time. 



About this date arrived a letter from Sir Joseph, in a 

 tone which must have given some cheer to the little 

 party. 



Sir Joseph Banks to Robert Brown. 



" SOHO SQUARE, April 8, 1803. 



" It gave me sincere pleasure to learn by yours from 

 Port Jackson that you was in health, and had been so 

 fortunate in the first part of the interesting business 

 to which you have so handsomely volunteered yourself. 



" Your commander deserves, in my opinion, great credit 

 for the pains he must have taken to give you a variety of 

 opportunities of landing and botanizing. Had Cook 

 paid the same attention to the Naturalists, we should have 

 done more at that time. However, the bias of the public 

 mind had not so decidedly marked Natural History for a 

 favourite pursuit as it now has. Cook might have met 

 with reproof for sacrificing a day's fair wind to the 



