Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/321

 FUNBERS PRISONER AT MAURITIUS, 2$3 His charts the Freuch Awecked in her at '* Wreck Reef** was deputed (for on such occasions the worthiest is accepted as the necessary leader) to take command of an open boat, in which he made his way hack to Sydney. King did what he could. He gave hhn the Cumberland scliooiier, of 29 tons hnrden. With her Flinders returned to the wreck, and was heartily cheered there. Callhig at the Mauritius for water, he was seized and coiifined hy the French Governor, General De ]aen, who affected to disbelieve that he was the commander of the Investigattfr, to whom the French Government had jiven the ju-^^fl^iced passport. Closely guarded, orders jeing given to the sentries to shoot any one seen on the "roof (whither Flinders and his companions went for fresher air)j and robbed of his *' charts, papers and journals, letters and packets, both public and private," he remained a prisoner from December 1803 till June 1810. and papers were proofs of his identity, but Governor really required no proof. The fact that he was Flinders was the reason for his imprisonment. His charts were required. The Council of State in 1804 commended their appropri- ation, and in 1806 the Emperor ratified tlieir commendation. H In the latter year the narrative of the French expedition H was nearly ready for publication, and when it appeared in H 1807 it was seen that under the style of " Terra Napoleon** ■ the Emperor laid claim to a territory '* dont les deux ^fcxtremiti^s viennent de rattacher d*une partau Cap Leeuwin ^»a rOuest et de Fautre au promontoire de Wilson vers le Sud/' Baudin had no part in these claims. He died at »the Mauritius (16th Sept. IHO^), and, to add to Flinders' misfortune, the Gc(}fp'^fphe, under a new commander, had sailed for France the day before the little Cnmbcrhud anchored at Port Louis. Thus, eye witnesses to identify Flinders, and take from the Governor all pretext for doubt, rwere removed a few hours before Flinders needed them. His seiisure was keenly resented in Sydney. The Sydnep Gazette published a letter from Baudin to the Governor of the Isle of France, describing the treatment of the French at Sydney. '* Le Gouverneur donna le premier exemple. QuekpiGS que soient les devoirs de Fhospitalitt? le Gouver- neur King a donne a I'Europe entiere le spectacle d*un