OTHER INTERVIEWS 4B 



Lubbock, 1 and Mr. Forster, 2 to recommend my being sent as 

 Naturalist, but how can I go, when Capt. Ross would be obliged 

 to take me, and at the same time think me unfit ? There 

 therefore remain only two ways or situations under which 

 I can go, either as Naturalist to the expedition or as Asst. 

 Surgeon and Naturalist to the Erebus, a situation which 

 Sir William Burnett promised me if I liked it. You can, I 

 know, but have the same opinion as Mr. Children and Brown. 

 The more I think of it, the more perplexed do I feel. That 

 Capt. Ross did not intend to treat me thus two weeks ago I 

 am sure, from his asking me to tell the quantity of preserves 

 for animals required, and his great good nature to me now 

 precludes me from attributing to him any other motive 

 than that he is misguided, and that Dr. McCormick (who, 

 he told me, had been preparing for such an Exped. for 

 three years) has been palmed upon him by someone. Sup- 

 posing I were to go under these circumstances, all my notes 

 on Molluscs and sea animals will naturally revert, from the 

 Admiralty, to the Zoologist, besides which he will have 

 more time on shore than I can. The most painful part of 

 my duty remains to be done, viz., going to Capt. Ross and 

 respectfully declining his appointment and telling him that 

 I am still trying for the appointment of Naturalist to the 

 Expedition, which all strongly advise me to do. Mr. Children 

 and Brown have been most kind, the former especially ; 

 I can never thank him too much ; I have invariably made 

 a point of telling them everything without the smallest 

 concealment, and have been glad to find how their opinions 

 coincide with mine. On your account, after all the kindness, 

 trouble, and expense you have put yourself to for my comfort 

 and good, I feel this annoyance very deeply, but you may 

 rest assured that I shall conduct myself well and prudently 

 (doing nothing without the best advice) as far as lies in me. 

 I shall deeply regret it, if I lose the chance of going with 



1 Sir John William Lubbock, Bart. (1803-65), banker by profession, was 

 a distinguished mathematician and astronomer. He was treasurer and vice- 

 president of the Royal Society, 1830-5 and 1838-17, and the first vice-chancellor 

 of the London University (1837-42). His eldest son, Sir John Lubbock, after- 

 wards Lord Avebury, was similarly distinguished in business, science, and 

 politics. 



2 Edward Forster (1765-1849), botanist; vice-president of the Linnean 

 Society, 1828, who used to snatch the early hours of the day for his study, mainly 

 of British plants, before going to work in a city bank. His herbarium was 

 presented to the British Museum. 



