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Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

Captain Clerke to Mr. Banks (Banks Papers)

Captain Clerke to Mr. Banks (Banks Papers).

Friday Eve.

Dear Sir

,—

I this day received a letter from Lord Sandwich acquaint-ing me he shall certainly order the Discovery to sea very soon, in short, giving me to understand that if I cannot leave town by the 10th or 11th instant I must give all up; now, that completes the wretchedness of my situation. I find the Jews are exasperated and determined to spare no pains to arrest me if they could once page 137 catch me out of the rules of the Bench; this you know would be striking the finishing stroke. Let me, my good friend, intreat the influence of your friendship here. I shall certainly be clear'd the 16th or 18th instant, and shall then be happy. If the Resolution sailed to-morrow I should be soon enough at the Cape for our every purpose. She must water on her way upon account of the live cattle, &c., she has on board. I have no such impediment, but shall run there without interruption. At the Cape, your bread which you bespeak is bak'd, and various other matters prepar'd which never takes up less than a fortnight before you can get them. If Capt. Cook should get here before me he can bespeak my quantum, which you know he's very well acquainted with, and I certainly shall not be a great while after him; at any rate, I trust you will try what can be done for your castaway but everlastingly gratefull,

Oblig'd servant,


Chas. Clerke

.

No date. Cook, in the Resolution, sailed from Plymouth Sound on the 11th July, 1776; the Discovery at that time lying in the Sound waiting for Captain Clerke, who was “detained in London.”—(Cook's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, vol. i, p.9.) From this it is evident that the above letter was written on the evening of Friday, the 5th July, 1776; the letter which precedes it having been, most likely, written on the morn-ing of the same day, or else on the previous Friday.