,FOR THE EXPEDITION. 53 three ovens to bake the bread, and in doing which he has lost no 1787 time since he received the Navy Board's order. I shall not lose May. a moment after there is the least chance of getting down Channel ; on that you may depend. No spirits can be received at present on board any of the ships; Spirits, but the greatest economy will be used in purchasing as much as the ship can stow when in the Brazil, where it is reasonable. I have received the warrant for appointing Courts-martial, the Articles of War, and the order for the Commissary's purchasing three years' spirits. The two letters for the Vice-Kings and the Governor of the Cape are not yet received ; but I must beg of you, my dear sir, to point out to the Navy Board that for women's cloathes I women stm have no resource, and desire them to order that they may be sent "** down. The agent for the transports, who has corresponded with that Board on the subject, says he has expected them for some time. Be assured that I shall not wait a single hour for them after it is possible to sail. I had desired that the Sirius and Supply, armed tender, might not be paid the two months' advance till the day before I intended to sail, and that was done yesterday. It is not in my power to send you my lists at present more offldai lists, correct than those you have received from Major Ross; but you shall have one by the return of the Hyaena, for I hope we shall not remain here long enough to make it out, as it will take some days to examine the different ships. And having at last got his ships as well provided for the voyage as he could contrive to do, by repeated appeals to the Aii ready, authorities at Whitehall, he closed his correspondence with Nepean for the time, with a passage in which he allowed himself to become prophetic : — Once more I take my leave of you, fully sensible of the trouble FaraweiL you have had in this business, for which at present I can only thank you ; but at a future period, when this country feels the advantages that are to be drawn from our intended settlement, you will enjoy a satisfaction that will, I am sure, make you ample amends. Digitized by Google
