Letter from Edward Sabine [geophysicist, naturalist and astronomer, brother of Joseph Sabine] to Joseph Sabine [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Societies 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 Societies House, Regent Street, London
Record type
Archive
Original Reference
RHS/Col/2/4/5
Date
27 Dec 1821
Scope & content
Written on board HMS Iphigenia, Torbay 'at 7pm'
Postmarked ('Brixham'). An opened seal is attached to the letter
Annotated at the top of the page: 'Joseph Sabine recd [received] January 1, 1822'
He is sorry to say that after enquiring in Brixham, he has not 'been able to learn any tidings of Mr Don'; the officers and crew of the boat travelled on Christmas Day to Dartmouth 'in compliance with the directions transmitted to them by the pilot'; an officer sent to Dartmouth this evening by Sir Robert Mends [captain of HMS Iphigenia] informed Sabine that Don had not accompanied the officers to Dartmouth; the officers proceeded from Dartmouth to Plymouth, where the port admiral ordered the Pigmy Cutter to take them to Falmouth to wait for HMS Iphigenia, 'to which port we proceed immediately'; missing his passage would be Don's own fault, as he should have taken care to return to the ship either with the lieutenant of marines or by hiring a shore boat, or if he wished to risk waiting for the last boat he should have remained by it until there was no hope of 'being regained', especially as Robert Mends had sent instructions via the pilot; although Don's situation on board as far as Madeira was not as Edward Sabine had wished, he had told Don that Mends had promised him that on arrival at Madeira [Spain] he would have his own cabin and 'every assistance & conveniency which the ship would afford'; as Don's duties would only have commenced on arrival at Madeira, 'a temporary personal inconvenience was his only grievance'; 'I must add that even under present circumstances he was on a par with the best accommodated midshipmen'; he is including a list of expenditure 'of a part of the £10 which I drew on Mr Don's account at Weymouth'; the expenses include 'Mr Don's expenses at the George Inn at Portsmouth 14th to 17th November' £1 15s, 'cash advanced at two separate times to Mr Don' £2, and 'a boat for the conveyance of Mr Don's chests from Portsmouth to the Iphigenia' £2, with the total balance £4 18s 6d. Written on board HMS Iphigenia, Torbay 'at 7pm'
Postmarked ('Brixham'). An opened seal is attached to the letter
Annotated at the top of the page: 'Joseph Sabine recd [received] January 1, 1822'
He is sorry to say that after enquiring in Brixham, he has not 'been able to learn any tidings of Mr Don'; the officers and crew of the boat travelled on Christmas Day to Dartmouth 'in compliance with the directions transmitted to them by the pilot'; an officer sent to Dartmouth this evening by Sir Robert Mends [captain of HMS Iphigenia] informed Sabine that Don had not accompanied the officers to Dartmouth; the officers proceeded from Dartmouth to Plymouth, where the port admiral ordered the Pigmy Cutter to take them to Falmouth to wait for HMS Iphigenia, 'to which port we proceed immediately'; missing his passage would be Don's own fault, as he should have taken care to return to the ship either with the lieutenant of marines or by hiring a shore boat, or if he wished to risk waiting for the last boat he should have remained by it until there was no hope of 'being regained', especially as Robert Mends had sent instructions via the pilot; although Don's situation on board as far as Madeira was not as Edward Sabine had wished, he had told Don that Mends had promised him that on arrival at Madeira [Spain] he would have his own cabin and 'every assistance & conveniency which the ship would afford'; as Don's duties would only have commenced on arrival at Madeira, 'a temporary personal inconvenience was his only grievance'; 'I must add that even under present circumstances he was on a par with the best accommodated midshipmen'; he is including a list of expenditure 'of a part of the £10 which I drew on Mr Don's account at Weymouth'; the expenses include 'Mr Don's expenses at the George Inn at Portsmouth 14th to 17th November' £1 15s, 'cash advanced at two separate times to Mr Don' £2, and 'a boat for the conveyance of Mr Don's chests from Portsmouth to the Iphigenia' £2, with the total balance £4 18s 6d