In preparing the following pages for the press, I haveendeavoured to give a brief account, divested as muchas possible of technicalities, of the principal points of interestin Natural History which came under observation during thewanderings of a surveying ship; while at the same time Ihave done my utmost, at the risk of rendering the narrativedisconnected, to avoid trenching on ground which has beenrendered familiar by the writings of travellers who have visitedthe same or similar places. And if in a few instances I havegiven some rather dry details regarding the appearance andsurroundings of certain zoological specimens, it has been myintention, by an occasional reference to the more striking formsof life met with in each locality, to afford some assistance to thoseamateurs who, like myself, may desire to avail themselves of theopportunities afforded by the surveying ships of the British Navyfor performing, although with rude appliances and very few booksof reference, some useful and interesting work.
Large collections of zoological specimens were made, and asthese accumulated on board, they were from time to time sent[viii]home to the Admiralty, whence they were transmitted to theBritish Museum, the authorities of that institution then submittingthem to specialists for systematic description. For much kindlyaid in making these arrangements, as well as for advice andencouragement received during the progress of the cruise, I amindebted to Dr. Albert Günther, F.R.S., Keeper of Zoology in theBritish Museum.
I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Frederick North, R.N.,for the use of a collection of photographs which were taken byhim during the cruise under circumstances