xlii INTRODUCTION. 



Surgeons, Edinburgh, which position he gave up on joining 

 the Franklin expedition, in 1845. Ostensibly, he embarked 

 as an assistant-surgeon, " acting, for Arctic Expedition only," 

 but really as a naturalist, the wide field for scientific research 

 which the voyage offered, proving as irresistible to his en- 

 thusiastic mind as the antarctic voyage had previously been 

 to the present distinguished botanist, R. D. Hooker, F.R.S. 



Very early in life Dr. Goodsir made himself known to 

 science by contributing, in conjunction with his brother 

 John, some papers to the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh. 



His younger brother Robert twice visited the arctic 

 regions in search of the Franklin expedition, the second 

 time as surgeon of a Government expedition, under the 

 command of Captain William Penny. 



The junior officers were all young men ; consequently, of 

 their previous services there is but little to record ; but the 

 fact of their having been selected to form part of so difficult 

 and hazardous an expedition is proof of their general merits 

 and rising qualifications. 



Mr. Hornby passed his examinations for lieutenant's 

 rank in 1841 ; Sargent, in 1843; Des Vceux, in 1844; 

 Thomas, and Couch, in 1845. 



They were all promoted within two years of their de- 

 parture from England. 



Mr. Des Vceux served under Sir Charles Napier in the 

 Syrian war of 1840. 



He proceeded to China in the flag-ship of Admiral Sir 

 William Parker, and served in the ' Endymion,' under the 

 present Admiral Sir Frederick Grey, during the Chinese war. 

 At one period of this war he was employed as a naval aide- 

 de-camp to General Sir Hugh Gough, the commander-in-chief 

 of the forces. Thus early had he distinguished himself 



