22 FOUNDERS OF OCEANOGRAPHY 



and weather than is now the case, when we can steam to the 

 bank from Port Erin in an hour or two, and carry on our 

 work there without much regard to wind or tide, in any- 

 moderate weather. But we find, in going over Forbes's 

 records from Ballaugh, that his work was wonderfully 

 detailed and accurate, and there is little or nothing to add. 

 He found nearly all there is to find, and he marked out the 

 distribution of life upon the various depths and parts of the 

 bank with remarkable precision. And that, I think, is 

 characteristic of much of his work. That he did so much, 

 and did it so well in so short a life, full of other duties and 

 cares, must constantly excite the wonder and admiration of 

 those who humbly follow in his footsteps. 



British naturalists are justly proud of the thorough 

 manner in which the contents of the home seas have been 

 made known by their distinguished predecessors ; and of 

 these famous monographs, which will remain classics of 

 science throughout all time, some of the chiefest glories both 

 in text and plates are those bearing the honoured name of 

 Edward Forbes. 



In 1841 came the great opportunity of his life to make 

 marine investigations outside the British seas. Captain 

 Graves, then in command of H.M. Surveying Ship " Beacon," 

 engaged on hydrographical work in the Eastern Medi- 

 terranean, offered Forbes the post of naturalist to the expedi- 

 tion, which was promptly accepted. The work so far as 

 Forbes was concerned was partly on land and partly at sea, 

 partly zoological and partly archaeological. After some 

 months of surveying and dredging amongst the Isles of 

 Greece, the " Beacon " was ordered to the coast of Lycia for 

 the purpose of conveying to England the remarkable carved 

 marbles and inscriptions discovered in the ruins of the 

 ancient city of Xanthus by Sir Charles Fellows. For this 

 task the vessel proved eventually to be quite unfitted, but it 

 gave the opportunity for Forbes, along with Lieut. Spratt, to 

 join the archaeologist, Mr. Daniell, in a series of important 



