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

^98 APrENBIX No. 48. Previous to sailing from England in 1831, the Beagle was fitted with the permanent lightning conductors invented by Mr. Wm. Snow Harris, F.R.S. During the five years occupied in her voyage she was frequently exposed to lightning, but never received the sHghtest damage, although supposed to have been struck by it on at least two occa- sions, when — at the instant of a vivid flash of Ughtning, accompa- nied by a crashing peal of thunder — a hissing sound was heard on the masts ; and a strange, though very slightly tremulous, motion in the ship indicated that something unusual had happened. The Beagle's masts so fitted, answered weU during the five years' voyage above-mentioned, and are stiU in use on board the same ves- sel, on foreign service. Even in such small spars as her royal masts and flying jib- boom, the plates of copper held their places firmly, and increased rather than diminished their strength. No objection which appears to me valid, has yet been raised against them ; and were I allowed to choose between having masts so fitted and the contrary, I should not have the slightest hesitation in decid- ing on those with Mr. Harris's conductors. Whether they might be farther improved, as to position and other details, is for their ingenious inventor to consider and determine. He has already devoted so many years of valuable time and attention to the very important subject of defending ships against the stroke of electricity ; and has succeeded so well for the benefit of others — at great inconvenience and expense to himself — that it is earnestly to be hoped that the Government, on behalf of this great maritime country, will, at the least, mdemnify him for time employed and pri- vate funds expended in n pubHc service of so useful and necessary a character. No. 49. MEMOEANDUM OF SOME OF THE FRESH PROVISIONS, PROCUREn FOR THE beagle's crew, BETWEEN 1831 AND 1835. Many other animals and birds were shot at various places (be- sides those enumerated in this list), by which every one on board