Rio de Janeiro

This Morning I received his Excellency's Answer to my last Memorial and Letter. In his Letter he owns there was some indecency in Detaining the Boat, but lays the Blame to my Officer, who only Executed the orders I gave him with Spirit. In one part of his Memorial he says that from the Built of the Ship and other Circumstances he Doubts that she is the King's. This I thought proper to Answer in Writing by telling his Excellency that I was ready to produce my Commission. Rain the most part of this Day.

Joseph Banks Journal

Letters came from the Viceroy to both the Captn and myself, in which he told me very politely that it is not in his power to permit to go ashore; in the captns he raises some doubts of our ship being a Kings ship, so I who could ground my pretensions to going ashore on no other Foundation thought it best to drop them, hoping that by and by when things were more quiet I might have an opportunity of smugling myself ashore.