1832.] LIFE AT SEA. 22Q 



All the endless delays which we experienced at Plymouth 

 have been most fortunate, as I verily believe no person ever 

 went out better provided for collecting and observing in the 

 different branches of Natural History. In a multitude of coun- 

 sellors I certainly found good. I find to my great surprise 

 that a ship is singularly comfortable for all sorts of work. 

 Everything is so close at hand, and being cramped makes one 

 so methodical, that in the end I have been a gainer. I already 

 have got to look at going to sea as a regular quiet place, like 

 going back to home after staying away from it. In short, I 

 find a ship a very comfortable house, with everything you 

 want, and if it was not for sea-sickness the whole world would 

 be sailors. I do not think there is much danger of Erasmus 

 setting the example, but in case there should be, he may rely 

 upon it he does not know one-tenth of the sufferings of sea- 

 sickness. 



I like the officers much more than I did at first, especially 

 Wickham, and young King and Stokes, and indeed all of 

 them. The Captain continues steadily very kind, and does 

 everything in his power to assist me. We see very little of 

 each other when in harbour, our pursuits lead us in such dif- 

 ferent tracks. I never in my life met with a man who could 

 endure nearly so great a share of fatigue. He works inces- 

 santly, and when apparently not employed, he is thinking. If 

 he does not kill himself, he will during this voyage do a won- 

 derful quantity of work. I find I am very well, and stand the 

 little heat we have had as yet as well as anybody. We shall 

 soon have it in real earnest. We are now sailing for Fernando 

 Noronha, off the coast of Brazil, where we shall not stay very 

 long, and then examine the shoals between there and Rio, 

 touching perhaps at Bahia. I will finish this letter when an 

 opportunity of sending it occurs. 



February 26th. About 280 miles from Bahia. On the 

 I Oth we spoke the packet Lyra, on her voyage to Rio. I sent 

 a short letter by her, to be sent to England on [the] first 



R 2 



