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

16 FUEGIANS RE-EMBARK. 1831. steam-vessel, at Plymouth, and not a few boats were required to transport to our ship the large cargo of clothes, tools, crockery-ware, books, and various things which the families at Walthamstow and other kind-hearted persons had given. In the small hold of the Beagle, it was not easy to find places for the stowage of so many extra stores ; and when dividing the contents of large chests, in order to pack them differently, some very fair jokes were enjoyed by the seamen, at the ex- pense of those who had ordered complete sets of crockery- ware, without desiring that any selection of articles should be made. Instructions were given, by the Secretary of the Church Missionai-y Society, to the young man who wished to accom- pany the Fuegians, which will be found in the Appendix and although he was rather too young, and less experienced than might have been wished, his character and conduct had been such as to give very fair grounds for anticipating that he would, at least, sincerely endeavour to do his utmost in a situation so difficult and trying as that for which he volun- teered.