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round the North West part of New Holland, he meant to round the West & SWt Coast, and return here by Bass's Straits - But, in the Event of being caught by the Westernly Winds which sets in about [indecipherable], from December, to January; he meant to repass through Basses Straits, & go to the Fugu Is & return here when he wanted provisions, which he apprehended would be about June - But desired me not to give him up till September he sailed from hence with Twelve months provisions - well manned & fitted - You will have heard by my last, that the Lady Nelson was returned, & had left the Investigator at the Cumberland Islands - in 21º So - They got among Reefs, Islands, & Rocks: were several times aground - The Lady Nelson carried away her Main-Keel lost her Anchors & Cables, & in short Flinders judged she would be a hindrance to him, & therefore sent her back - she arrived here just as I was dispatching a vessell to the French Ships in the Straits - a Copy of Flinders's letters I have sent tot he Admiralty -
In my last, I informed you all about our French Visitors, they were received by us with that attention & hospitality, which would have made the most lasting impression on their minds, and I am bold to say, would have equalled the impression made on your Coadjutor Cooks mind, by the hospitalities of Major Béhm [?] & his Country Men. But, the deamon of destruction most infamously arrived at some of their [?] reputations which affected the whole as a body
[margin note]: French [indecipherable]