IP 



BOTANISING ASHOEE 73 



sixty miles north of the Cape, whilst we were beating to 

 the Southward ; they certainly (though only of one kind) 

 gave a most exalted notion of a submarine forest, with its 

 accompaniment of a parasitic vegetation ; with fish for 

 birds, corals for Lichens, and shells for insects. Whilst 

 going six or seven knots through the water, we, stationed 

 in the quarter boats, harpooned these weeds as we passed, 

 and very good fun for botanising it was ; the largest brought 

 on board had a short thick branching root from which sprang 

 four great stems, the longest 24 feet. ... It belongs 

 to the genus Laminaria ; the old stems are brown, with 

 flat white corals on them, and some parasitic seaweeds ; 

 the matted roots contain numerous other seaweeds, shells, 

 Crustacea, corals, MoUuscae, Actineae and red-blooded 

 worms. The leaves are infested with Patellas, Sertularias, 

 and Flustrae. From one specimen I took four seaweeds 

 and upwards of thirty animals, by carefully pulling the 

 root to pieces. Nor were these large seaweeds ; many 

 were seen twice as large if not larger. What extraordinary 

 power can have torn them up by the roots I cannot con- 

 ceive, for, from their length, they must grow far below low 

 water mark.^ 



Nevertheless, however engrossing the twofold interest of 

 these occupations, the old spell of botanising ashore always 

 gripped him anew with irresistible attractions. The same 

 letter tells : 



I have heard naturalists complain of the tedium of a 

 sea voyage ; such cannot be naturaHsts or must be sea-sick 

 (which I have never been for an hour). I do not mean to. 

 say I would not be better employed and happier perhaps 

 studying Botany ashore, with more comforts around me, 

 but I assure you my weeks fly, though from my slow working 

 I have not much to show, and, unaccountable as it may 

 appear to you, when we draw near shore I feel quite thrown 

 out of my usual routine of employment. I must own, 



1 Writing to his father on May 3, 1842, from the Falklands, he gives an 

 explanation with which some observant naval officers supplied him : 



' The officers of the Arrow are very nice fellows. One of them told me 

 that as the Macrocystis grows large, it finally weighs up the stone, which was 

 its moorings, and then the whole plant goes off to sea, which fully explains the 

 reason for our finding so muoh of it alive at sea.' 



