36 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. II 



has shown himself for some reason or another a special 

 good friend to me) told me that he had received a letter 

 from Captain Owen Stanley, who is to command an ex- 

 ploring expedition to New Guinea (not coast of Africa, 

 mind), requesting him to recommend an assistant surgeon 

 for this expedition would I like the appointment ? As 

 you may imagine, I was delighted at the offer, and imme- 

 diately accepted it. I was recommended accordingly to 

 Captain Stanley and Sir W. Burnett, and I shall be 

 appointed as soon as the ship is in commission. We are 

 to have the Rattlesnake, a 28-gun frigate, and as she will 

 fit out here, I shall have no trouble. We sail probably in 

 September. 



New Guinea, as you may be aware, is a place almost 

 unknown, and our object is to bring back a full account 

 of its Geography, Geology, and Natural History. In the 

 latter department with which I shall have (in addition 

 to my medical functions) somewhat to do, we shall 

 form one grand collection of specimens and deposit it in 

 the British Museum or some other public place, and 

 this main object being always kept in view, we are at 

 liberty to collect and work for ourselves as we please. 

 Depend upon it, unless some sudden attack of laziness 

 supervenes, such an opportunity shall not slip unused out 

 of my hands. The great difficulty in such a wide field is 

 to choose an object. In this point, however, I hope to be 

 greatly assisted by the scientific folks, to many of whom 

 I have already had introductions (Owen, Gray, Grant, 

 Forbes), and this, I assure you, I look upon as by no 

 means the least of the advantages I shall derive from being 

 connected with the expedition. I have been twice to town 

 to see Captain Stanley. He is a son of the Bishop of 

 Norwich, is an exceedingly gentlemanly man, a thorough 

 scientific enthusiast, and shows himself altogether very 

 much disposed to forward my views in every possible 

 way. Being a scientific man himself, he will take care to 

 have the ship's arrangements as far as possible in harmony 



