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CHAPTER XVIII.

Receive a free Pardon from the hands of Captain (late Governor) King.—Account of our Passage Home.—Suffer a great deal from the want of Provisions.—Leaky State of the Ship.—Double Cape Horn.—Fall in with an English Frigate, bound to the River Plate.—Arrive at Rio de Janeiro.

THE morning after our sailing, Captain King, (as I shall in future style him,) called me into his cabin, and presented me with a free pardon, which, as he rightly observed, was merely a matter of form, as it was probable we should not arrive in England before the expiration of my time. This instrument, though only made out a few days before, was antedated the 12th of August, 1806, being the day before Governor Bligh assumed the command, and was consequently the last official document, to which Governor King had affixed his signature, and the last public act of his government.

In about a week, we made the island of New Zealand, at which it was captain King's intention to have touched, having some live pigs, brought from Port Jackson, for the purpose of presenting to the native chiefs, two of whom had lately visited,