OF THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE. 265 
the plants on deck, when a sudden tempest ensued, which 
not only blew the ships off the land, but did the valued case 
considerable damage. 
Van Dieman’s Island, from its vast extent, presents a wide 
field for the naturalist, and though Labillardiére, Brown and 
Cunningham have laboured there, an ample share yet re- 
mains for future investigators. But as our object is mainly 
with Antarctic vegetation, we shall merely observe that what 
with the collections of the * Erebus and Terror," and those 
made by the unwearied exertions of Ronald Gunn, Esq., 
during many years, and placed at our disposal, there exist in 
this country ample materials for a Flora of that most in- 
teresting colony, such we trust as will form a part of the 
publication of this extended scientific voyage. 
Dreadful weather, had, however, to be endured, between 
the 30th of July, when the ships quitted Kerguelen's Island, 
. and the 16th of August, when the river Derwent received 
. them. They had ran a thousand miles a week for three suc- 
cessive wecks, and were justin sight of Van Dieman's Island, 
_ When that gale, which did so much injury to the plants in the 
Ward's case, came on and drove them out to sea again, carry- 
ing one poor fellow overboard, and often sweeping the decks 
fore and aft. Happily the “Erebus” proved herself a most 
_ admirable sea-boat, riding like a bird on the waves, and when - 
— Struck and washed by the great seas that broke over her, 7 
only staggering a little, till a port was knocked out, by which ice 
the immense body of water was suffered to escape. — 
Nearly three months were spent in Van Dieman's Island; 
and on the 12th November, 1840, the “ Erebus and Terror” 
=- Sailed down the Derwent, on their way to the extreme 
A Southern regions of our globe, amidst the enthusiastic cheers 
of the people of Hobarton, and accompanied for 30 miles by 
his Excellency, Sir John Franklin, of whom it need hardly 
be said that he has taken the deepest interest in the success 
of the voyage, and, assisted by the inhabitants generally, ren- _ 
able. On this memorable cruize, one of the grand objects of - 
. dered our countrymen's stay in that colony peculiarly agree- CR 
