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worked laboriously at the vast amount of material and observations 
which had been accumulated. In 1877 he published two volumes 
of a preliminary account of the results of the voyage, a work of 
surpassing interest, not alone from the scientific value of the obser- 
vations recorded in it, and the conclusions which the author draws 
from them, but for the beautifully executed illustrations it contains, 
and the graphic sketches which occur here and there of the general 
as well as the scientific features of the places visited and examined. 
In this work Sir Charles has recognised the valuable assistance of 
his colleagues in the scientific staff; the aid which all the naval 
officers, without exception, gave in the most friendly spirit to the 
civilian staff; the wonderful temper with which the commander 
and first lieutenant tolerated all the irregularities inseparable from 
dredging and other scientific work; the friendly readiness with 
which the chief of the naval scientific staff placed his valuable 
observations at the disposal of the civilian staff ; the patience and 
care displayed by the lieutenants who superintended the dredging 
and trawling and the estimations of temperature ; and his debt of 
gratitude to the sailors for the respect and consideration with which 
they treated all the civilians on board. 
These were, no doubt, remarkable results — this combination of 
everyone on board to achieve success, this subordination of the 
discipline, cleanliness, and order of a man-of-war to the prosecution 
of the study of Natural Science in various departments ; and it 
cannot be doubted that they were mainly due to the genial dis- 
position, the many engaging social qualities, the gentlemanly 
bearing, and the untiring energy of Sir Charles Wyville Thomson. 
He admitted that the strain, both mental and physical, was long 
and severe, and that it had told upon all of them. His friends 
observed that, with the continuance of the labours necessary for 
bringing out the full account of the whole results of the “ Chal- 
lenger” Expedition, his vigour by no means kept pace, but until 
1879 there was no real cause for anxiety. In June of that year, 
however, he had a serious illness, from which he only partially 
recovered. His place in the University of Edinburgh had to be 
supplied, and at length arrangements were made for securing to 
him a well-deserved retiring allowance. From time to time he 
persevered in endeavouring to forward the publication of the com- 
