CAPTAIN FLINDERS AND ROBERT BROWN 239 



saving at least the scientific collections. She sailed in 

 May, 1805, and met with no trouble beyond the inevitable 

 tedium of five months unrestingly spent upon the sea. 

 Mr. Brown wrote from Liverpool, October 13, a long letter 

 to Sir Joseph Banks, announcing his arrival. 



The collections on board had been cared for, and the 

 Captain took a share in the efforts to preserve them. 

 But they were beginning to suffer from the wet state of 

 the ship. Brown was indisposed to let them remain 

 for the voyage round to London, and sent them all up 

 to London by road. We have particulars of the enormous 

 cost of this operation. Cartage amounted to 53. Un- 

 loading and reloading at the London Custom House, 

 insurance, fees, etc., brought the bill up to 87 8s. 



Sir Joseph was not able to take a personal share in the 

 botanist's affairs and his triumphant return. Just at 

 this moment he was laid up with a bad attack of gout, 

 which, spite of abstemious habits, now seized upon him 

 with greater frequency than ever. 



Sir Joseph Banks to William Marsden. 



" SOHO SQUARE, January, 1806. 



"... After tedious delay, the unavoidable consequence 

 of a severe fit of illness which has given me much mortifi- 

 cation, I am at last able to fulfil my promise of giving you 

 some account of the nature of the collections made by 

 Messrs. Brown and Bauer, in the course of the voyage of 

 discovery from which they have lately returned, and of 

 suggesting such measures for the consideration of their 

 Lordships as are most likely to secure to the public the 

 fruits of the labours of these very active and industrious 

 men. . . . 



" An exact account of Mr. Brown's collections cannot 

 be given till the examination and comparison with books, 

 which employs his time at present, has been finished. 



