D I F F I CU LT I E S PRE PARATIONS. 



June 1829. 



Skyring was to be on board his own vessel, the Beagle, it 

 would be incurring considerable responsibility, to order a new 

 piece of service to be undertaken, which might not be successful ; 

 and would require officers, men, a boat, provisions, and stores 

 from the Beagle. 



" I did not doubt that the measure would be approved by 

 Captain King, because he had discussed the feasibility of such 

 a plan with me, and had expressed a wish that it should be 

 tried; but as I had not received any orders, I could not decide 

 without anxiety. 



" Another, though a minor difficulty, arose from sending 

 Lieutenant Skyring in command of the Adelaide, over Lieute- 

 nant Graves, her proper commander, who had expected to take 

 her to Childe, and was quite competent to undertake this or 

 any other service in which she might be employed. Both these 

 officers excelled in their professional duties ; but Skyring had 

 been on the western coasts of Patagonia before, and was the 

 senior. 



" Much to the credit of Lieutenant Graves, he removed one 

 weight, by volunteering to go any where I thought proper to 

 direct, either alone or with Lieutenant Skyring, and the neces- 

 sary orders were forthwith given. (See Appendix). Mr. K"irke 

 was again to form one of their party, as well as Mr. Bynoe, 

 who exchanged temporarily with Mr. Park. The Beagle^s 

 whale-boat was also lent, with five able seamen to man her ; and 

 good care was taken that nothing the ship could give should 

 be wanting in their outfit for a service which, at that time of 

 year, must be severe and tedious. 



" Anchors and cables, hawsers and kedges, were abun- 

 dantly supplied, because in warping into unknown places, or 

 anchoring hastily, many an anchor is unavoidably broken or 

 lost. 



" The boat^s crew, who had been away with the Adelaide, 

 and were going in her again, were supplied with extra clothing 

 at the expense of Government, the wear and tear of their clothes 

 having been far beyond what they could be expected to make 

 good out of their pay. 



