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PEEFACE. 



Towards the end of the month of May 1865, I was at 

 Sydney at the time H.M. steam frigate ' Curacoa,' com- 

 manded by Commodore (now Admiral) Sir WiUiam Wiseman, 

 was preparing to leave for the purpose of displaying the 

 British flag in the different archipelagoes of the Western 

 Pa.cific. The Commodore, whose acquaintance I had been 

 fortunate enough to make at Sydney, taking a kind interest 

 in my love of exploring, and authorised by a circular letter 

 which I had obtained from Lord John Eussell, invited me 

 to accompany him, and obligingly proposed to me to 

 become his guest durina; the Cruise. I at once availed 

 myself, as may be easily imagined, of this most agreeable 

 and unexpected offer. It is pleasing to me to remember 

 that the courtesy shown me by the Commodore was shared 

 by his officers, to two of whom I must specially refer, the 

 Hon. Herbert Meade and Mr. Foljambe. The former, pre- 

 maturely lost to the service and to his friends by a melan- 

 choly accident, gave me, in his last moments, a touching 

 proof of his friendship, by desiring that a part of his 





