CHAPTER III.,

OCCURRENCES FROM CALCUTTA TO VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.

THE subsequent occurrences of the voyage I shall give in the form of a diary, as they actually took place and were put on record in the journal of the Research; that being the shape in which the information conveyed will be most useful and acceptable to the mariner, the geographer, and the man of science.

6th Jan. 1827.-The carpenter's work being nearly completed, I determined to send a pilot on board in the morning to take the vessel down the river; but having some business to settle in Calcutta, I obtained permission from the Marine Board to remain in town until the ship got as far down the river as Diamond Harbour.

7th.-At 10 A.M. an assistant harbour-master came on board and hauled the ship from her moorings into the middle of the stream. Shortly after the sea pilot took charge and dropped her down the river with the ebb tide to Garden Reach, where she anchored for the night.

8th. Shortly after day-light Mr. Lushington and Mr. Swinton, chief secretaries to Government, sent on board five garden boxes, contain

ing young coco-nut trees, to be planted on such islands in the Pacific as should be found to possess none of those most useful of all fruits.

11th, From Monday to this day I was engaged in making the necessary preparations for the voyage and in taking leave of my friends; while the ship was gradually proceeding down the river with light and variable winds, which retarded her progress.

Having been late up at a farewell party last night, on arriving at my lodgings this morning I directed my faithful Prussian servant to desire my sircar when he came, to have my boat ready for embarking, and intimated that during the interval I would repose on the couch. Shortly after I was awoke by the servant and sircar, who informed me that during my sleep Doctor Tytler had slipped into my room, and commenced reading some of my letters and pa. pers; but on perceiving me move in the bed, he withdrew in a precipitate manner, and inquired of the Prussian if I was very ill. The man replied that I was not ill; but that having at an early hour returned from a party, I had lain down to take a nap previous to embarking for the ship. The Doctor then inquired of my servant if I always slept with arms by the bedside? who answered in the affirmative. He then asked if I was in the habit of drinking

spirituous liquors at sea. The Prussian informed him that I never drank liquors from the beginning of my voyages until the end of them; that on shore I was very abstemious, never taking any liquors in my own house, and only doing so abroad out of courtesy to my entertainers, The Doctor then begged of the servant to prevail on me not to go to the ship that day, as I was, he said, exceedingly ill, and that he would call again.

On being informed of the Doctor's strange proceedings, I began to suspect that he again intended to misrepresent the state of my health to the Marine Board: and it shortly appeared I was not mistaken, for having gone to the tavern to breakfast, on returning to my lodg ings I found the Doctor with another medical gentleman at the door. He inquired in the most kind and affectionate manner how I found myself after these violent attacks, and if I thought the state of my health would allow me to go to sea. I replied, that I never was in better health in my life than at the present time, and that I lintended to leave town for the vessel that morning. This declaration appeared completely to disconcert him, as he had brought the other -medical gentleman (as I afterwards learnt) for the purpose of holding a survey on me, and reporting in conjunction with him, had his friend

been base enough to do so, that I would not be able to proceed on the expedition.

The remainder of the day was spent in getting my baggage embarked in the boat, and waiting for the tide. During this interval, I was informed that the Doctor, ever plotting and restless, was busily engaged, endeavouring to obtain from Commodore Hayes and others, documents to prove that the Research was not seaworthy, to enable him to present a protest against the ship to the Government, so as to put a stop to the expedition as now planned.

At about half past six this evening I left Calcutta for the ship, and anchored abreast of the Budge Budge Hotel. At day-light next morning we moved forward, and arrived on board the Research at eight o'clock. The pilot got the anchor up twice that day, but let it go again, being prevented from proceeding by a thick fog coming on.

15th.-Nothing remarkable having occurred since the 12th, I shall pass over those days. The anchor was got up several times; but we were obliged to let it go again, the winds blowing up the river, counteracting the strength of the ebb tide.

This morning we reached Diamond Harbour, where we anchored. I received instructions from the Marine Board to proceed no further

without orders, some difficulty having arisen in procuring a register for the ship. I also received private letters from town cautioning me to be on my guard when Doctor Tytler joined the ship, as it was his intention to get rid of the voyage by some artifice, and that if his other schemes failed in accomplishing his point, he would most likely endeavour to provoke me into a quarrel, which would afford him an excuse for carrying his design of leaving the ship into execution.

16th. Not being allowed to proceed down the river till further orders were received, I employed the crew as necessary about the rigging, and getting the water-casks refilled which had been emptied on the passage from Calcutta to this place.

At eight o'clock we sat down to breakfast. At this moment the Doctor joined the ship, accompanied by his natural son, a youth of about fourteen years of age, and Captain Speck, a passenger.

As had been foreseen, the Doctor this same day raised a dispute on board, by insisting that I should victual from my own table a person named Helmick, employed as his dresser, or what on board ship is usually called a loblolly boy. I politely informed him, that according to the orders of the Marine Board, that person