Biography: Matthew Flinders
Matthew Flinders was a great British navigator. He first mapped and circumnavigated a large a mysterious landmass which he would later name Australia. Reminders of Flinders exploits can be found in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Even his cat Trim has a statue that can be seen outside the State Library in Sydney.However, to his crew and people under him in the Royal Navy Flinders was an arrogant and occasionally reckless man who could often never see another's point of view. Flinders' job was not easy. He was told to chart and make scientific notes on the coast of 'The Great Southern Land.' He had to do this with one unseaworthy vessel and only a few scientific staff where as his rivals, the French, had several boats and the best materials and the best staff of the age. Captain Nicolas Baudin, who was sent by Napoleon, "returned to Paris with thousands of specimens, and their reports were illustrated with some of the finest natural history art ever produced on a voyage of discovery." He has been described as a typical Aussy hero - struggling against impossible odds yet overcoming them. He was a spectacular man who achieved a lot even if fame and fortune was elusive
In 1796 they once again set out but this time in a larger boat called the Tom Thumb II. The Royal navy was et up in a unique way. A timekeeper allows you to tell how far you have travelled which is crucial in an exploration voyage. Flinders invited them for diner on board the Investigator and the French dined out of politeness, as it would be a public relation outcry in London and Paris if he did not. After having an argument with Governor De Caen who was in charge of Mauritius, he was invited to diner with him to restore peace but Flinders "hotly declined, saying that he would only accept when set at liberty. When Flinders returned from Mauritius in 1810 it was the first time he had been to London in 10 years. When Flinders reached Tahiti he transferred ships to the Bellerophon upon which he travelled to Port Jackson. To the very end of his life his eyes were focused on his grand obsession - Australia. During the 1890s the talk was about Australia and wether there was an inland sea, a straight between New Holland and New South Wales, or a gap between Van Diemans Land and New South Wales. Trim Flinders was a ships cat, he sailed with Matthew Flinders wherever he went. From there they were in uncharted territory. It was also the first time he had seen his wife in 10 years. The better the letter the better your position was on board the ship.
Common topics in this essay:
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