Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

1830. IN THE HOSPITAL. 9 was vaccinated, which is supposed, by the medical officers of the hospital, to be the small-pox. " As the other three individuals have been always in com- pany with him, it is to be feared that they also are affected and as the vaccination has not yet taken a proper effect, it is the opinion of the medical officers that it would be safer to receive them into the hospital, until the present critical period is passed, than to allow them to remain in private care. " I have further to request, that my late coxswain, James Bennett, may be permitted to accompany, and remain with the Fuegians, in order to attend upon them, in the event of their Lordships allowing them to be admitted into the hospital ; and I hope, Sir, that the peculiar nature of the case may be thought to justify this application. " I have, &c. " The Secretary Robert Fitz-Roy, Commander."" of the Admiralty. " Sir, Admiralty-Office, 10th Nov. 1830. " I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, in answer to your letter of this day's date, that directions have been given for the admission of the four Fuegians therein alluded to, into the Naval Hospital at Plymouth, and that James Bennett be allowed to attend them, agreeably with your request. " I am, Sir, &c. " Commander Fitz-Roy. (Signed) " John Barrow." The Admiralty having thus sanctioned the admission of the Fuegians into one of the best hospitals, and assured that they could not be under better treatment than that of the well-known gentlemen whom I have mentioned, I felt less anxiety in leaving them for a time, as I was obliged to do, in order to attend to duties connected with the survey ; but I had hardly reached London, when a letter from Dr. Dickson informed me of the untimely fate of Boat Memory. He had been vaccinated four different times ; but the three first opera-