THE OFFICERS. 221 



The midshipmen's berth have all their meals an hour before 

 us, and the gun-room an hour afterwards." 



The crew of the Beagle consisted of Captain Fitz-Roy, "Com- 

 mander and Surveyor," two lieutenants, one of whom (the 

 first lieutenant) was the late Captain Wickham, Governor of 

 Queensland ; the present Admiral Sir James Sulivan, K.C.B., 

 was the second lieutenant. Besides the master and two- 

 mates, there was an assistant-surveyor, the present Admiral 

 Lort Stokes. There were also a surgeon, assistant-surgeon, 

 two midshipmen, master's mate, a volunteer (ist class), purser, 

 carpenter, clerk, boatswain, eight marines, thirty-four seamen, 

 and six boys. 



There are not, I believe, many survivors of my father's 

 old ship-mates. Admiral Mellersh, Mr. Hamond, and Mr. 

 Philip King, of the Legislative Council of Sydney, and 

 Mr. Usborne, are among the number. Admiral Johnson died 

 almost at the same time as my father. 



He retained to the last a most pleasant recollection of the 

 voyage of the Beagle, and of the friends he made on board 

 her. To his children their names were familiar, from his 

 many stories of the voyage, and we caught his feeling of 

 friendship for many who were to us nothing more than names. 



It is pleasant to know how affectionately his old companions 

 remember him. 



Sir James Sulivan remained, throughout my father's life- 

 time, one of his best and truest friends. He writes : " I can 

 confidently express my belief that during the five years in 

 the Beagle, he was never known to be out of temper, or to 

 say one unkind or hasty word of or to any one. You will 

 therefore readily understand how this, combined with the 

 admiration of his energy and ability, led to our giving him 

 the name of ' the dear old Philosopher.' " * Admiral Mellersh 



* His other nickname was " The another boatswain over the ship, 



Flycatcher." I have heard my and pointing out the officers : 



father tell how he overheard the " That's our first lieutenant ; that's 



boatswain of the Beagle showing our doctor ; that's our flycatcher." 





