X P R E F A C E .
which I knew my brother had taken with him, and which were not mentioned at all
in thè inventory j fuch as a iilver watch, two table-fpoons, and a pair of gold fleeve-
buttohs j all which, however, it is poffible my brother might have loft or difpofed
of on the voyage. But, as I thought it not very probable, I was induced to enquire,
of fome of the officers belonging to the Endeavour, into the manner ‘in
which my brother’s effects were taken care of ; and, in particular, after the journal,
faid to be loft, and more of his papers and drawings, which I expe'étèd to1 have
found.
The refult of this enquiry afforded no reafons to5 confirm me in the good opinion
I had hitherto entertained of Jofeph Banks; in whofè integrity and generality I had
before placed the utmoft confidence. By one perfon,-whò was particularly intimate
with my brother, I was informed that he died poffefled of leverai curious
drawings of the natives of New-Zealand and other fubjedis, which he had taken
at hisleifure hours, in prefence-of the informant, for his'own amufement and particular
ufe ; having given feveral of them away as prefents to the officers on-board,
and that to the knowledge of Jofeph Banks, who néver pretended to have the
right, he hath fince been pleafed to fet up, to all and every the labours, in feafon
and out of feafon, of his indefatigabie'd raUghtfman. * From another of the Ihipws
company I learned, that, immediately after Sydney Parkinfon Ydeceafe,-1 on the 26th
of January, 177-1, Jofeph Banks, attended by Dr. Sólarider:, fwent into his cabbin-;
when the captain’s clerk accidentally pàffing by; !they called him, and defired'him
to take an inventory of the deeeafed’s effects : which’he did, by writing^ own’wba't
was didated, -f* On being ihewn the abovementioned inventory, he faid it was thè
clerk’s hand-writing; but, onbeingaikedifhethoughtitcontained the whole of Sydney
Parkinfon’s effeds, he replied “ No, nothing like- it.” He was then' ihewn' the cu-
• riofities
and {ketches of no great moment, and a parcel of written mufic; which latter couldhardly belongto
my brother, who knew nothing of a fcience, of which his religious profeffion prohibited him. the ftudy.
perhaps the fundrieswere his journal ami drawi ngs faid to be Toft ; the place of which, thefe mufical
manufcripts (undoubtedly belonging to Jofeph Banks, who-is a connoifleur in the art,) afterwards
iupplied.
* It is here to be obferved, that Sydney Patkinfon was engaged' to Jofeph Banks as a botanical drbughtf-
man only ; fo that he was under no obligation to delineate other fubje£ts for Jofeph Ba.nks, who took
out another dratrghtfipan; one Alexander Buchan? with him for t^at parppfe ; who likewife.T^I à, la*
crifice to the viciffitudes of climate and fatigues of thef vbyage.
t This ci vcumftance was aftervvatds confirmed to me by the clerk himfelf.
riofities received of Jofeph Banks; on viewing which he declared, that thé deceafed,
to his knowledge, poffeffed many things not to be found among them, particularly
a quantity of feeds of; curious plants, many birds and animals preferved in fpirits,
many lances, bludgeons, and other weapons ufed in war, likewife houfehold uten-
fils and other inftruments, purchafed of the natives of the newly-dil'coverd iflands
in the South-Scas; together with the third of a leager J of the beft arrack, bought
at Batavia. In refpeft to the loft journal', he faid that Sydney Parkinfon had been
extremely affiduo.us in collecting accounts of the languages, cuftoms, and manners, of
the people, wherever the fhip touched at, and had drawn up a very fair journal,
which was looked upon, by the (hip’s company, to be the beft that was kept; particularly
as to the.-account it contained of the new-djfcovêred iflands, and of the
.people*refiding at, or trading to, Batayia. He added, that Sydney Parkinfon-had
made, at his leifure hours, a great many drawings of the people at Otaheite and the
neighbouring iflands, - as alfo of the New-Zealanders, particularly of fome who were
curioufly marked in the.face ; and that he frequently fat up all night, drawing for
himfelf or writing his journal; and as for the account of its being loft, he looked
upon it as a farce, as he was fure Jofeph Banks took particular care of every thing
belonging to Sydney Parkinfon, and had all his effeCts under his own eyé. II- ’
The reader will obferve, that, though I look on thefe informants to be perfons of
veracity, and doubt not they would make good their information,-if called on in a
court of judicature, I do by no means charge Jofeph Banks, on hear-fay evidence,
with the embezzlement or detention of effects I never faw ; he has enough to an-
fwer for, as a man of credit and probity, in hitherto detaining from me the things 1
was afterwards prevailed on to entruft him with, on his promife to return them.
The information I received, however, could not fail of alarming my fufpicion;
which I communicated to fome friends, who advifed me to file a bill in chancery
to compel Jofeph Banks to come to ajuft account. But, having a man of character and
fortune to deal with,' I was loth to take violent meafures, in hopes he might be induced
by fair means*to do me juftice.
At the end of about five weeks, I received a meffage from him, appointing me
to come thé next afternoon to fettle with him. I waited on him accordingly, at the
' 1 1 A bout fifty fu'égalions, ./ r "vi,r hnr* '• s*“ '•"•f3 <itoi -i+fciLji. --■- 7/r ;
i l M H l H B i corroborated by another o f the (hip’s company, w ho fmiled at the relation
o f the jou rnal s being loft, ana at the enquiry that was pretended to be m ade concerning it. -