X MEMOIR. 



the expedition was correct, that the greatest opportunities were 

 those of studying fauna, flora, and races of men, which, to use 

 his own words, ''are perishing rapidly day by day, and will 

 soon be like the Dodo — things of the past. The history of 

 these things once gone can never be recovered, but must 

 remain for ever a gap in the knowledge of mankind." 



Throughout the voyage Moseley's keen eyesight, his powers 

 of enduring fatigue, and the joviality with which he put up with 

 every kind of discomfort or hardship in the pursuit of science, 

 won the admiration of officers and men. When the ship was 

 amongst the southern ice he remained for hours in the foretop 

 sketching the icebergs; a position peculiarly trying to a landsman, 

 especially in such low temperatures. Always the first to land, 

 he was very reluctant to leave any interesting spot, and he had 

 the utmost confidence that if accidentally left behind, the ship 

 would return for him. He was actually left behind at Kergue- 

 len's land, having, as usual, stuck to his collecting to the very 

 last. The ship was under sail and standing out of harbour 

 before he was missed, and on searching the shore with glasses 

 Moseley was seen resting quietly under a rock, his handkerchief 

 tied to a stick to show his whereabouts, but not in the least dis- 

 composed by the thought of being left behind on so desolate 

 a spot. The following extract of a letter from Lieut. Swire, R.N., 

 shows the estimation in which he was held by his shipmates. 



" He brought to his investigations ability and perseverance 

 of no ordinary kind, backed by an originality of mind and an 

 imperturbable good humour, which made him absolutely proof 

 against all the shafts with which naval wit was never tired of 

 trying the mettle of those whom we called our philosophers, 

 and which enabled him at last to completely turn the tables 

 on his funny friends. . . . Personally I always looked on Moseley 

 as one of my greatest friends, and generally — I think I may say 

 unanimously — he was regarded by us all as a thorough good 

 fellow, and moreover one who was devoted to his work, and 

 always ready to explain to us naval men the drift of what 

 was being worked at by himself and his colleagues. ... I may 

 mention that Moseley's generous devotion to his friends was 

 strikingly exemplified when von Suhm was suffering from 



