THE OFFICERS. 



195 



King, of the Legislative Council of Sydney, and Mr. Usborne, 

 are among the number. Admiral Johnson died almost at the 

 same time as my father. 



He retained to the last a most, pleasant recollection of the 

 voyage of the Beagle, and of the friends he made on board 

 her. To his children their names were familiar, from his 

 many stories of the voyage, ani we caught his feeling of 

 friendship for many who were to us nothing more than names. 



It is pleasant to know how affectionately his old companions 

 remembered him. 



Sir James Sulivan remained, throughout my father's life- 

 time, one of his best and truest friends. He writes : — " I can 

 confidently express my belief that during the five years in the 

 Beagle^ he was never known to be out of temper, or to say one 

 unkind or hasty word of or to any one. You will therefore 

 readily understand how this, combined with the admiration 

 of his energy and ability, led to our giving him the name of 

 * the dear old Philosopher.' " * Admiral Mellersh writes to 

 me : — " Your father is as vividly in my mind's eye as if it 

 was only a week ago that I was in the Beagle with him ; his 

 genial smile and conversation can never be forgotten by any 

 who saw them and heard them. I was sent on two or three 

 occasions away in a boat with him on some of his scientific 

 excursions, and always 'looked forward to these trips with 

 great pleasure, an anticipation that, unlike many others, was 

 always realised. I think he was the only man I ever knew 

 against whom I never heard a word said ; and as people 

 when shut up in a ship for five years are apt to get cross with 

 each other, that is saying a good deal. Certainly we were 

 always so hard at work, we had no time to quarrel, but if we 

 had done so, I feel sure your father would have tried (and 

 have been successful) to throw oil on the troubled waters." 



* His other nickname was " The Flycatcher." I have heard my father 

 tell how he overheard the boatswain of the Beagle showing another boat- 

 swain over the ship, and pointing out the officers : " That's our first lieu- 

 tenant ; that's our doctor ; that's our flycatcher." 



