CAPTAIN FLINDERS AND ROBERT BROWN 237 



first, until upon medical advice he was given a lodging in 

 the town under close supervision. Application was made 

 in vain for permission to use his journals and charts. 

 Even a " spy-glass " was regarded as a legitimate forfeit 

 to his captors. Matters were a little improved by the 

 captain being confined in the Garden Prison, where other 

 English officers were under detention, and who, by the 

 way, had also lost their spy-glasses. The first news of all 

 this reached London in August, 1804. 



Captain Flinders suffered a good deal from depression of 

 mind. But he kept active, and spent much time in 

 noting the productions of the island and storing up 

 material for his book of travel. Then his health im- 

 proved. It was even a matter of discussion with his 

 French friends (of whom he had many) as to whether he 

 should not reconcile himself to his fate and settle in the 

 island. However, he would have none of this. He was 

 determined on restitution. He wanted promotion in the 

 British navy, and he would return to the wife he had 

 married a few weeks before leaving England. Thus year 

 after year rolled on. In July, 1809, Sir Joseph Banks 

 had a letter from Flinders (dated September, 1807) 

 stating that he had got back his books and papers. An 

 order had come to set him at liberty. This was after 

 numberless applications, remonstrances, promises, delays, 

 during which he had seen ship after ship arrive and depart, 

 ever awakening hopes that could not be realized. 

 Flinders 's difficulty now was, mainly, that he kept up a 

 high tone as a British officer ; and this De Caen affected 

 to disbelieve. Even after repeated orders to release his 

 prisoner the Governor persisted in regarding them as 

 open to his discretion. Doubtless personal pique on 

 both sides delayed relief. 



It was not until June, 1810, that Captain Flinders 

 found himself on board the Otter, Captain Tomkinson, 

 bound for the Cape. He reached Spithead on October 23. 



