248 WANDERINGS IN 



THIRD 

 JOURNEY. 



failed to send me supplies up into the forest by 



every opportunity. 



Embarks I embarked for England, on board the Dee 

 land. West-Indiaman, commanded by Captain Grey. 



Sir Joseph Banks had often told me, he hoped 

 that I would give a lecture in public, on the new 

 mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in 

 natural history for museums. I always declined 

 to do so, as I despaired of ever being able to hit 

 upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds ; and 

 I was aware that it would have been an imperfect 

 lecture to treat of birds only. I imparted what 

 little knowledge I was master of, at Sir Joseph's, 

 to the unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa 

 to explore the Congo ; and that was all that took 

 place in the shape of a lecture. Now, that I had 

 hit upon the way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up 

 a little plan on board the Dee, which I trusted 

 would have been of service to naturalists ; and by 

 proving to them the superiority of the new plan, 

 they would probably be induced to abandon the 

 old and common way, which is a disgrace to the 

 present age, and renders hideous every specimen 

 in every museum that I have as yet visited. I 

 intended to have given three lectures : one on 

 insects and serpents ; one on birds ; and one on 

 quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this 

 little plan was doomed not to be unfolded to 

 public view. Illiberality blasted it in the bud. 

 We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, 



