Parkinson's Journal, Preface, page 6

Page 6

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Preface (continued)

The result of this enquiry afforded no reasons to confirm me in the good opinion I had hitherto entertained of Joseph Banks; in whose integrity and generosity I had before placed the utmost considence. By one person, who was particularly intimate with my brother, I was informed that he died possessed of several curious drawings of the natives of New-Zealand and other subjects, which he had taken at his leisure hours, in presence of the informant, for his own amusement and particular use; having given several of them away as presents to the officers on-board, and that to the knowledge of Joseph Banks, who never pretended to have the right, he hath since been pleased to set up, to all and every the labours, in season and out of season, of his indefatigable draughtsman.* From another of the ship’s company I learned, that, immediately after Sydney Parkinson’s decease, on the 26th of January, 1771, Joseph Banks, attended by Dr. Solander, went into his cabbin; when the captain’s clerk accidentally passing by, they called him, and desired him to take an inventory of the deceased’s effects: which he did, by writing down what was dictated. † On being shewn the abovementioned inventory, he said it was the clerk’s hand-writing; but, on being asked if he thought it contained the whole of Sydney Parkinson’s effects, he replied "No, nothing like it." He was then shewn the curiosities received of Joseph Banks; on viewing which he declared, that the deceased, to his knowledge, possessed many things not to be found among them, particularly a quantity of seeds of curious plants, many birds and animals preserved in spirits, many lances, bludgeons, and other weapons used in war, likewise household utensils and other instruments, purchased of the natives of the newly-discoverd islands in the South-Seas; together with the third of a leager ‡ of the best arrack, bought at Batavia. In respect to the lost journal, he said that Sydney Parkinson had been extremely assiduous in collecting accounts of the languages, customs, and manners, of the people, wherever the ship touched at, and had drawn up a very fair journal, which was looked upon, by the ship’s company, to be the best that was kept; particularly as to the account it contained of the new-discovered islands, and of the people residing at, or trading to, Batavia. He added, that Sydney Parkinson had made, at his leisure hours, a great many drawings of the people at Otaheite and the neighbouring islands, as also of the New-ZeaIanders, particularly of some who were curiously marked in the face; and that he frequently sat up all night, drawing for himself or writing his journal; and as for the account of its being lost, he looked upon it as a farce, as he was sure Joseph Banks took particular care of every thing belonging to Sydney Parkinson, and had all his effects under his own eye. ||

* It is here to be observed, that Sydney Parkinson was engaged to Joseph Banks as a botanical draughtsman only, so that he was under no obligation to delineate other subjects for Joseph Banks, who took out another draughtsman, one Alexander Buchan, with him for that purpose; who likewise fell a sacrifice to the vicissitudes of climate and fatigues of the voyage.

† This circumstance was afterwards confirmed to me by the clerk himself.

‡ About fifty five gallons.

|| The above account was corroborated by another of the ship’s company, who smiled at the relation of the Journal’s being lost, and at the enquiry that was pretended to be made concerning it.

Voyaging Accounts

© Derived from the London 1773 edition printed for Stanfield Parkinson, pages x - xi, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/parkinson/006.html