Dec 10, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Dec 12, 1792
Revised Sep 17 2021
1 pm: Moderate Breezes and fine clear Weather
2 pm: People employed about occasional Duty. Carpenters painting
4 pm: Ditto Weather Passed a Peice of Weed
8 pm: Fresh Breezes & Cloudy Weather
9 pm: Took in the Starboard Studding sails.
4 am: Fresh Breezes & Cloudy Weather At Daybreak made all Sail.
8 am: Moderate Breezes & Clear Weather
9 am: People shifting and blacking the Booms – and in the after Hold.
11 am: Carpenters painting on the Upper Deck Saw some flying fish.
12 noon: Moderate Breezes & fine Weather
Assistant in Company.
As we are now again got within the Tropic and perfectly clear of all Inconveniences attending the Cape of
Good Hope, it will be necessary to give some Account of the present State of the Plants and the Loss we
have sustained in coming round it – By an accurate Calculation it appears that we have now 658 Vessels
of Bread fruit containing 826 Plants and have lost of Course 67 Vessels and 110 Plants since the Account
was taken after last crossing the Tropic of Capricorn – the loss amongst the extra Plants is but
trifling there remaining now of the otaheite ones 33 Vessels of Ayhah, 24 of Rattah, 18 Avees, 6 Mattee,
6 Ettow, 6 Oraiahs and 2 Nahees (2 species of Plantains) of the Timor Plants are lost 1 Pot of Breadfruit
(not the seedling sort), 1 of Mango dagge and 2 Jambo marree – this Loss cannot be attributed to cold
Weather for most if not all of them would have died if that had been in their proper Climate, at Sea. but that
nothing might be neglected that would in any way contribute to their preservation, the Scuttle & Sky
lights were always closely shut up in bad Weather, and the Canvas Coverings of those on Deck safely secured.
if by any Accident the spray of Sea came near the Plants they were immediately well washed, which as I have
before observed almost wholly destroyed its Effect. when there was any Danger of this, the Botanists always
kept watch to ensure the proper Attention being paid – they have watered them in the Morning again
since coming into cold Weather – there is not a greater Argument, that the Cold has done them very little
Injury, than the Plants upon Deck – which
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were evidently more exposed to it having suffered less than those below, indeed the loss has been proportionably
less in the whole than when in the sultry Latitudes, a medium is certainly to be prefered – All the Injury
we can attribute to the cold and boisterous Weather we had off the Cape is the Loss of the Avees and Oriahs, two
Pots of Breadfruit which were accidentally broke and the Buds and fresh Shoots of the whole have been a little
nipped – On the whole it appears that Despatch is the first thing to be considered in Voyages of this kind,
and as the Passage round Cape Horn is so much shorter and we should be almost certain of meeting with a fresh
westerly wind, it is probably if we had made that Passage, not more than half the number of Plants would have
died that we have not lost.
At present the whole Collection are in a flourishing State and bid fair to make the Voyage answer every intended
Purpose. several Mangos and Nanche's or Jaques have been raised from seed, several of which as well as other
Plants have been destroyed by a Mouse or some other Vermin which hitherto has eluded all the Vigilance used to
take it the Sky-lights are again left off at Night and the Collection are watered in the Evening as before in
warm Climates
Dec 10, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Dec 12, 1792