XXXV111 
INTRODUCTION. 
part of His Excellency to forward our out- 
fit and complete the vessel for sea without 
delay, it was not until the 21st of Decem- 
ber that the alterations were finished. Had 
we met with as much opposition and inat- 
tention from the commissariat department 
as from the engineer, the vessel would not 
have been ready for sea for six months ; it 
is, however, a duty I owe to Deputy Com- 
missary General Allan, to acknowledge the 
readiness with which that officer’s depart- 
ment attended to my wants. 
The following is a list of the officers 
and men who formed the crew of the Mer- 
maid : — 
Commander . . 1 Lieut. Phillip Parker King. 
Mr. Frederick Bed well. 
,, John Septimus Roe. 
Master’s mates 
Botanical collector 1 „ Allan Cunningham. 
Seamen . . .12 
Boys .... 2 
Total 18 
In addition to this establishment, I ac- 
