CHAP, in.] THE CRUISES OF THE 'PORCUPINE: 83 



upon the efficiency of the scientific appliances, of 

 Dr. Carpenter assisted by a committee composed 

 of the officers and a few of the members of the Royal 

 Society. The ' Porcupine/ though a small vessel, was 

 well suited for the work ; thoroughly seaworthy, very 

 steady, and fitted up for surveying purposes. Captain 

 Calver and his officers had long been engaged in the 

 arduous and responsible duty of conducting the sur 

 vey of the east coast of Britain, and were trained to 

 minute accuracy and thoroughly versed in the use of 

 instruments and in the bearings of scientific investi 

 gation. The crew were chiefly known and tried men, 

 Shetlanders who had spent many successive summers 

 in the ' Porcupine ' under Captain Calver' s command ; 

 returning to their homes in Shetland for the winter, 

 while the vessel was laid up and the officers employed 

 in bringing up their office work at their head- quarters 

 in Sunderland. 



The working of the dredge was superintended 

 throughout by Captain Calver, whose trained ability 

 very early gave him so complete a mastery over the 

 operation that he found no difficulty in carrying it 

 down to depths at which this kind of exploration 

 would have been previously deemed out of the ques 

 tion. It is impossible to speak too highly of the skill 

 he displayed, or too warmly of the sympathy he showed 

 in our work. It is a pleasure to add that the other 

 officers of the ' Porcupine,' Staff-Commander Inskip, 

 Mr. Davidson, and Lieutenant Browning, most heartily 

 and zealously seconded their commander in promoting 

 alike the scientific objects of the expedition and the 

 welfare and comfort of all who were engaged in carry 

 ing th (mi out. 



