BIOGRAPHICAL (1825-1854) 16 



beginning his scientific career in the same way as 

 did those two other famous scientists, Charles Darwin 

 and Joseph Hooker. The Rattlesnake called at the 

 Cape, where a month's stay was made, and thence 

 sailed for Mauritius, where they left for Sydney on 

 the 17th of May, reaching the latter place on July 

 16, 1847 — eight montlis after they left England. 

 Here Huxley had his first chance of mixing with 

 good society, his position in the navy securing him 

 the necessary introductions, and for the first time 

 in his life he began to form friendships for which his 

 nature was evidently craving. Amongst these was 

 Wilham Macleay and WiUiam Fanning, at whose 

 house he met his futui'e wife. Miss Henrietta Anne 

 Heat horn. These two rapidly became engaged, and 

 looked forward to Huxley's promotion to the rank 

 of full surgeon, when he hoped to marry. 



The Raitlesnake remained in Australian waters for 

 nearly three years, of which eleven months were 

 spent in Sydney. Other cruises were made for the 

 purpose of surveying the Great Barrier Keef and the 

 " Iimer Passage " as far as New Guinea, the Torres 

 Straits, the Louisiade Archipelago, and other places. 

 The full programme of the ship was cut short by 

 the death of Captain Stanley, the commander, upon 

 which the Rattlesnake sailed for England in May 1850, 

 the whole cruise having thus lasted four years. It 

 was not for five years after this that Huxley again 

 saw his future wife, and when one thinks of the 

 extremely limited means of communication of those 

 early days, one can realise something of the depth 

 of the affection wliich ultimately brought them to- 

 gether. The experiences and work which came to 

 him as the result of the cruise of the Rattlesnake 



