BY A. MAULT. 115 



chart was in French hands there was no need to copy it in 

 manuscript. 



Then there is some internal evidence. In the " Observations " 

 above given the French copyist begins in the third person, 

 but at the end of the first sentence incontinently drops it, 

 and evidently translates exactly what is before him. This 

 greatly differs from Flinders' style when relating any of his 

 own proceedings only, for he always uses the first person 

 singular. I think, therefore, that the " we " nsed here shows 

 that these " Observations" were written while Bass was still 

 with him, aud before Bass had made any separate report to 

 the Port Jackson authorities. 



Again, when Flinders was surveying Frederic Henry Bay 

 he had not seen any charts or details of D'Entrecasteaux's 

 expedition, and consequently it is quite natural for him then 

 to copy from Hayes' chart and make the observation above 

 quoted. But when in England in 1800 he could have 

 obtained details of the French discoveries, and would hardly 

 have published the less accurate work. In his great atlas he 

 unhesitatingly prefers D'Entrecasteaux, and dismisses Hayes 

 with rather scant courtesy. 



As for the object for which the chart was copied it was 

 probably in connection with some designs of the French 

 colonial authorities in regard to the occupation of Van 

 Diemen'sLand. General De Caen no doubt fully shared in 

 the desire to extend French territory in this direction, and 

 thought that all information regarding the island, and 

 especially the south-east part of it, would be useful. If he 

 knew of the beginning made of English occupation, he was 

 not the sort of man to be turned from his purpose by such 

 an act. It may hereafter be found that the rea] explanation 

 of Flinders' unjustifiable and otherwise inexplicable deten- 

 tion at the Mauritius was connected with De Caen's 

 suggestions to the French Grovernment of an occupation of 

 Van Diemen's Land. No doubt it was thought that the 

 changing of English into French longitudes would facilitate 

 the comprehension of the chart in Paris. It would be easily 

 done by ruling the parallels 2deg. 20min, east of those given 

 on the original. It is pleasant to note that the copy contains 

 no trace of a desire to rob Flinders of the credit of his 

 discoveries. 



But the chart taken by itself is very interesting as showing 

 what was known of our island at the moment of its first 

 occupation by our countrymen, and as such I have great 

 pleasure in presenting it to you. The concluding pai'agraph 

 of the " Observations " shows how careful an observer 

 Flinders was, and contains a suggestion in regard to the 

 anomalous character of the tides in the Derwent that may be 

 of great use, and which I will not forget. 



