In a volume of the _New South Wales Records_ is printed for the first
time a batch of letters from Clerke to Sir Joseph Banks, and these
documents so well depict poor Clerke's cheery disposition, notwithstanding
that he was suffering from a fear of the King's Bench, and, what was more
serious, the sad disease which ended in his death, that we may be pardoned
for reproducing extracts from them. The first was written just before
Clerke sailed with Cook on that fatal third voyage as commander of the
_Discovery_:--
"DEAR SIR,--I am very sorry to inform you that I am fairly cast
away. The damnation Bench of Justices fell out among themselves,
upset and fairly frustrated the friendly intentions of Sir
Fletcher Norton, &c., wrote a rascally letter, hoping that I would
not find any inconvenience from it, and put off the adjournment to
Monday se'nnight. Now, you know, this is quite beyond our reach;
it seems the whole legends of the Bench do not furnish such
another incident. Indeed, there's a fatality attends my every
undertaking; those people whom I most honour and esteem, that
favour me with the name of friend--to them I become a trouble and
burthen. However, though we cannot help misfortunes, we can help
deserving them, and I am determined that want of gratitude and
attention shall never be an accusation against me; therefore I'm
resolved to decamp without beat of drum and, if I can, outsail the
Israelites, get to sea, and make every return in my power.
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