n from these personal relations to the voyage: Some days before
the Investigator reached Madeira, a Swedish brig was met, and had to
receive a lesson in nautical manners during war-time. The incident is
reported by seaman Samuel Smith with a pretty mixture of pronouns,
genders and tenses: "At night we was piped all hands in the middle watch
to quarters. A brig was bearing down upon our starboard bow. Our Captn
spoke her, but receiving no answer we fired a gun past his stern. Tacked
ship and spoke her, which proved to be a Swede."* (* Manuscript, Mitchell
Library: "Journal of Samuel Smith, Seaman, who served on board the
Investigator, Captain Flinders, on a voyage of discovery in the South
Seas." The manuscript covers 52 small quarto pages, and is neatly
written. Some of Smith's dates are wrong. It may be noted here that
Smith, on his return from the voyage, was impressed in the Downs and
retained in the Navy till 1815. He died at Thornton's Court, Manchester,
in 1821, aged 50. He was therefore 30 years of age when he made this
voyage.)

Flinders was, it has been said, the nautical grandson of Cook. How
thoroughly he followed the example of the great sailor is apparent from
the lines upon which he managed his ship and governed his crew. This is
what he was able to write of the voyage down to the Cape of Good Hope,
reached on October 16th: "At this time we had not a single person in the
sick list, both officers and men being fully in as good health as when we
sailed from Spithead. I had begun very early to put in execution the
beneficial plan first practised and made known by the great Captain Cook.
It was in the standing orders of the ship, that on every fine day the
deck below and the cockpit should be cleaned, washed, aired with stoves,
and sprinkled with vinegar. On wet and dull days they were cleaned and
aired, without washing. Care was taken to prevent the people from
sleeping upon deck or lying down in their wet clothes; and once in every
fortnight or three weeks, as circumstances permitted, their beds, and the
contents of their chests and bags were opened out and exposed to the sun
and air. On the Sunday and Thursday mornings, the ship's company was
mustered, and every man appeared clean-shaved and dressed; and when the
evenings were fine the drum and fife announced the forecastle to be the
scene of dancing; nor did I discourage other playful amusements which
might occasionally be more to the taste of the sailors,