140 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



Menzies appears to have begun the serious work of 

 life as assistant-surgeon in the Navy. We first hear of 

 him in connection with Sir Joseph Banks, when on board 

 the Assistance, at Halifax, N.S. From this place he 

 sent botanical news, and a batch of seeds " for that 

 noble collection at Kew." The Assistance reached 

 Chatham in August, 1786. Menzies sent up to London, 

 by hoy, a small box of Acadian plants, and promised 

 a visit to Sir Joseph in a few days. Meanwhile : " I 

 am informed there is a ship, a private adventurer, now 

 fitting out at Deptford to go round the world. Should 

 I be so happy as to be appointed Surgeon of her, it will 

 at least gratify one of my greatest worldly ambitions ; 

 and afford one of the best opportunities of collecting 

 seeds, and other objects of Natural History for you and 

 the rest of my friends ! " 



Writing a few days later, he enclosed the above note 

 from Dr. Hope, who, it may be, was unaware that Banks 

 had some acquaintance with Menzies ; or else, in the 

 passionate courtesy of those days, was willing to cement 

 the existing tie by a friendly interposition. With the 

 same enclosure, Menzies announced that he was happily 

 appointed Surgeon to an Expedition round the world. 

 . . . Two vessels are going in company, a ship, the Prince 

 of Wales, and a sloop, the Princess Royal. The proposed 

 route is round South America, thence to the West Coast 

 of North America, and by the Japanese islands to China, 

 and then round the Cape of Good Hope homeward. Their 

 chief object is the fur trade. But it is not allowed for 

 the ship's company to trade or barter for any curiosities. 

 "I hope, however, we are not debarred from picking 

 them up when they come in our way." He asks Sir 

 Joseph to intervene, if possible, with Mr, Etches. 



R. C, Etches was the merchant, or ship-owner. Per- 

 haps with an eye to good business, and doubtless im- 

 pressed by the importance of conceding something to the 



