Chap. XII. BACK'S JOURNEY TO THE POLAR SEA. 485 



sence of two years and nearly seven months. Mr. 

 King, with eight of the men, reached England in 

 the Hudson's Bay Company's ship in October. His 

 Majesty honoured Back with an audience, and ex- 

 pressed his approbation of his efforts, — first in the 

 cause of humanity, and next in that of geographi- 

 cal and scientific research. 



In glancing over the subjects of natural history 

 mentioned in the Appendix, — the quadrupeds, birds, 

 and fishes, described in England by Dr. Richard- 

 son, the insects by Mr. Children, and the plants by 

 Sir William Hooker — it is impossible not to bestow 

 the highest degree of praise on Mr. King, who, 

 with great exertion and diligence in collecting, and 

 careful attention in preserving them, must have 

 undergone much labour and constant anxiety. Dr. 

 Richardson says, " those specimens were, all care- 

 fully prepared by Mr. Richard King, surgeon to 

 the expedition, who deserves the thanks of zoologists 

 for devoting so much time and labour to the pro- 

 motion of the science." 



