OFFICIAL ATTITUDE TOWAEDS SCIENCE 45 



talked a great deal and, without exaggerating, much non- 

 sense, confusing the genera of different localities in an 

 extraordinary manner. None of them seemed cordial to 

 me in the least degree. On leaving the room, no one even 

 wished me a pleasant or successful voyage, except Mr. 

 Eobertson, 1 the Secretary, who has always been very kind 

 to me whenever I have occasion to attend at the K.S. 

 rooms. 



A few more extracts : 



The Gunroom officers are about to petition lloss that 

 I may mess with them ; it is extremely kind of them and 

 chiefly McCormick's doing, but I hope Koss will refuse, as 

 I cannot, if they offer, and it will put me to an additional 

 expense of no mean importance. 



H.M.S. Erebus, Chatham, July 28, 1839. 



Mr. McCormick returned last week from Devonshire, 

 and finds that the Government are very loth to make such 

 large grants for the Natural History department, and Sir 

 Wm. Parker 2 says he does not see what Nat. Hist, has 

 to do with the Expedition at all, which has annoyed 

 Capt. Eoss exceedingly. Anything that they won't 

 supply my Surgeon will make up from his own pocket ; 

 he is very zealous indeed in the cause and offers me every 

 encouragement. ... In the way of medical duty I have 

 ve"ry little to do as far as regards the Erebus, but the men 

 of the Terror are so much inferior in constitution and morals 

 that there are 5-1 of them ill, to what there are of our men. 

 There are besides a whole swarm of women and children 

 on the lower deck of the hulk, who are a perpetual 

 annoyance. 



Sir William paid him a visit at Chatham ; and though 

 warmly welcomed by such of his future companions as were 

 there, writes on his return home (August 27, 1839) : 



I could have wished you had some zealous Natural 



1 Probably Archibald Robertson (1789-1864). Originally a naval surgeon, 

 after 1818 a successful practitioner in Northampton. He wrote on medical 

 subjects, and was elected F.R.S. in 1836. 



2 Sir William Parker (1781-1866) was the famous admiral who was at 

 the Admiralty under Lord Auckland, 1835-41. 



