22O THE VOYAGE. ^ETAT. 22. 



tender, thus saving the country a further large amount. He- 

 was ultimately ordered to sell the schooner, and was com- 

 pelled to bear the loss himself, and it was only after his dcathi 

 that some inadequate compensation was made for all the- 

 losses which he suffered through his zeal. 



For want of a proper tender, much of the work had to be 

 done in small open whale boats, which were sent away from 

 the ship for weeks together, and this in a climate, where- 

 the crews were exposed to severe hardship from the almost 

 constant rains, which sometimes continued for weeks together.. 

 The completeness of the equipment was also in other respects 

 largely due to the public spirit of Captain Fitz-Roy. He 

 provided at his own cost an artist, and a skilled instrument- 

 maker, to look after the chronometers.* Captain Fitz-Roy 's- 

 wish was to take " some well-educated and scientific person '* 

 as his private guest, but this generous offer was only accepted, 

 by my father on condition of being allowed to pay a fair share 

 of the expense of the Captain's table ; he was, moreover, on 

 the ship's books for victuals. 



In a letter to his sister (July 1832) he writes contentedly- 

 of his manner of life at sea : " I do not think I have ever 

 given you an account of how the day passes. We breakfast 

 at eight o'clock. The invariable maxim is to throw away all 

 politeness that is, never to wait for each other, and bolt ofT 

 the minute one has done eating, &c. At sea, when the 

 weather is calm, I work at marine animals, with which the: 

 whole ocean abounds. If there is any sea up I am either sick 

 or contrive to read some voyage or travels. At one we dine. 

 You shore-going people are lamentably mistaken about the 

 manner of living on board. We have never yet (nor shall 

 we) dined off salt meat. Rice and peas and calavanses are 

 excellent vegetables, and, with good bread, who could want 

 more? Judge Alderson could not be more temperate, as- 

 nothing but water comes on the table. At five we have tea.. 

 * Either one or both were on the books for victuals. 



