of sailing to arrest me? I have been a prisoner since the first
hour I landed."

[Illustration: A DIRECT SOUTH VIEW OF THE TOWN OF SYDNEY. _F. Heath
sculpt._ Taken from the brow of the hill leading to the Flagstaff. From
Collins' "An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales" [London,
1798]. _To face p._ 208.]

The governor's answer was-- [Sidenote: 1804]

"It is useless to get up a discussion, as you do not appreciate
the delicate motive of my silence. I say, until matters are
advanced more, say nothing, as you know so little of the rules of
good manners."

This rude letter maddened Flinders. He wrote another long epistle, setting
forth reasons for letting him go, even to France, promising to say not a
word of Mauritius and stating again the absolute simple necessity of his
visit. He could extract no answer.

The heat was fearful. All the respectable people in the place were gone to
the hills, and Flinders and his men nearly died of the horrible
confinement. His letters were opened, and very few reached England. At
home Sir Joseph Banks set to work, and did his best for the poor prisoner.
On August 29th, 1804, he (Banks) wrote to Governor King a long letter,
which is full of things he was disinterestedly doing for the colony, and
that letter says:--

"Poor Flinders, you know, I suppose, put into the Isle de France
for water, and was detained as a prisoner and treated as a spy.