Apr 9, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Apr 16-18, 1792
Revised Sep 16 2021
[undated] Moderate Breeze & fine Weather Carpenters caulking the Sides – People upon necessary Duty –
AM. Light Airs – at 6 Unmoored Ship and run a Kedge and Hawser out to haul the Ship further in towards the
South Shore – At 10. Moored Ship. Small Bower in 12½ Fathom Water End of the Reef bearing N13°W –
Point Venus N22°E – The Heads of Tarra S9°W to S29°W – Extremes of the Island Morea S68°W
to West –
Carpenters caulking over the Side – A Cask of Spruce Beer broached for the Ships Company as before –
Loosed Courses to dry – Fine clear Weather
[undated] Moderate Breezes and fine Weather Handed the Courses – Carpenters caulking the Side – A
plentifull supply of Hogs Fruit and Roots and served as before –
AM. At Daybreak the Botanists sent on Shore to prepare a Place to received Bread-fruit Plants near Point Venus with
the Assistance of Oropia (The Kings Brother) and a Party of Natives – Washed and cleaned below fore and aft.
A moderate supply of Hogs &c People continue to salt Pork as before – Carpenters caulking the Sides and
the People employed upon occasional Duty –
Fine clear Weather – Loosed the topsails to dry
Sunday April 15th 1792 Light Airs and Calms – Furled Sails – Caulkers employed on the Sides –
The Ships Company and Boats employed upon occasional Service –
AM. Calm and Cloudy Weather At Day break the Launch sent on shore with an Officer the Botanists and Pine Planks
&c Cleaned below –
Mustered Ships Company in Divisions –
Divine Service performed by the Captain – The Supply of Hogs and Cocoa Nutts rather moderate but that for
other Fruit considerably increased –
At Noon Moderate Breezes and fine Weather
Immedeately we put inot the Bay, the Natives began to come off in their Canoes – they presently found out that
Captain Bligh was on board, which seemed to give them much Pleasure – for they were not possitively certain
whether he was alive 'tho' they must have heard he was by the Pandora – The English Whale boat was a Matter
of great Speculation among us, it afterwards appeared to have belonged to the Matilda, a Merchant Ship out of London,
who had brought Convicts to Botany bay from whence she was proceeding to the West Coast of America to fish. in
crossing the Pacific Ocean, she had put in a few Days at Otaheite for fresh Provisions, and had sailed from thence
in Prosecution of her Voyage with the Mari-ann of the same Destination and belonging to the same Owner – they
parted in the Night the Mari-ann standing to the Southward the Matilda made an Easterly Course – On the 9 Day
after leaving Oteheite about Midnight, she struck upon some Rocks which lay off a small flat barren Island which
according to the Account the second Mate gives must be about the Latitude [blank] and Longitude [blank] –
fortunately all the People were saved and the Wind coming immediately round to the Eastward they betook themselves
to the Boats which were three in Number and made a gain for Oteheite where they all arrived safe at different
Parts of the Island. But the Master of her whose Name was Whetherhead wishing to get home as soon as possible went
away in a little Schooner called the Jenny who arrived some little Time after and who likewise took two Men and
two Boys, the rest were obliged to stay for another opportunity, soon after the Mate and three Men formed the
daring [?] of them was hauled up to the Westward at Attahourou and the other of attempting to reach Botany Bay
in one of the Boats and embarked accordingly – At Oparre and the People dispersed themselves about the
Country [The last few lines are somewhat garbled, with strikouts and insertions.]
[Continued on next page...]
Apr 9, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Apr 16-18, 1792