Letter from Edward Sabine [geophysicist, naturalist and astronomer, brother of Joseph Sabine] to Joseph Sabine [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society's House, Regent Street, London
Information
Title
Letter from Edward Sabine [geophysicist, naturalist and astronomer, brother of Joseph Sabine] to Joseph Sabine [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society's House, Regent Street, London
Record type
Archive
Original Reference
RHS/Col/2/4/4
Date
27 Dec 1821
Scope & content
Written on board HMS Iphigenia, Plymouth
Annotated at the top of the page: 'Joseph Sabine recd [received] Dec 29 1821'
In the event of their not finding Mr Don [George Don] at Plymouth, which port they are about to enter, Edward Sabine wishes to apprise Joseph Sabine of the circumstances of Don's absence; HMS Iphigenia anchored at Torbay on 19 Dec due to bad weather; Edward Sabine took advantage of the detention to visit Teignmouth, having asked Don before leaving the ship if he wished to go on shore, which he declined; he understands Don then went to Brixham and on Edward Sabine's return from Teignmouth on 24 Dec Don was still absent; the winds had changed to more favourable that morning, and all other ships had left the bay; the lieutenant of marines informed Don the weather was fair and he was going off immediately but Don did not ask to accompany him; the lieutenant of marines assumed Don meant to wait for another boat which was on shore with a party of officers; Sir Robert Mends [captain of HMS Iphigenia] waited for the second boat until 4pm, when due to the rising gales the ship had to cut the cables; Mends tried to regain anchor in the bay the following day and on the morning of 26 Dec but could not, so decided to head for Plymouth where he expects to find the officers, having sent them a message by the pilot that he would meet them there; he hopes they will find Don in Plymouth; he notes that if the officers are not at Plymouth, they will join the ship by the Bann or Driver, 'two ships of war', setting sail for Africa from Portsmouth