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Stratford Place Sept 7 1787
Dear Sir
I had the Pleasure of yours & have this day seen Capt. Bligh on board the Bounty at Deptford
The Ship as you foresaw was rather unfitted yet I saw enough to satisfy me & I am glad therefore that I went
I am glad also to have made myself acquainted with Capt. Bligh who seems a very deserving man but I am still more glad on account of the probable effect of my visit for I am sorry to say I found Capt Bligh likely to sail without his Errand, he expected general instructions from the Admiralty - he knew he was to go to the S.Seas & some other places but he knew little or nothing of the object of his voyage had no idea of going to the East Indies or to the West Indies in short he was about to sail the Latter end of this month with little or no information or knowledge of the object of his voyage I will not suppose but that Mr Nelson the gardiner may have had full instructions but you will excuse me for saying that unless you do interest the Captain himself & instruct him & inspire him with the spirit of the undertaking it is to very little purpose the vesell would sail it is not enough to inform a gardiner a Captain in the King's service can not & ought not to be contented with doing as a gardiner bids I had above an hours discourse with him he entered into the plan with spirit was delighted with the idea of rendering such service to his Country & mankind but declared if it had not been for my visit he never should have known any thing of it I have given him your report to me on Ld Cornwallis's