mfort and necessary (by the Lords of the
Admiralty) which our own experience, or the kind interest of Captain
Beaufort could suggest. It had been determined by the Government--the
plan having been suggested by Lieutenant Grey to Lord Glenelg, then
Secretary of State for the Colonies--that, simultaneously with the survey
of the seaboard of the great continent of Australia, under Captain
Wickham, a party should be employed in inland researches, in order more
particularly to solve the problem of the existence of a great river, or
water inlet, supposed, upon the authority of Captains King and Dampier,
to open out at some point on its western or north-western side, then but
partially and imperfectly surveyed.

LIEUTENANTS GREY AND LUSHINGTON'S PARTY.

This expedition was now entrusted to the command of Lieutenant
Grey--since Governor of South Australia--who was accompanied by
Lieutenant, now Captain Lushington; Mr. Walker, Surgeon, and Corporals
Coles and Auger, of the Royal Sappers and Miners, who had volunteered
their services: they were to take passage in the Beagle, and to proceed
either to the Cape of Good Hope or Swan River, as Lieutenant Grey might
ultimately determine. It was arranged that they should join us at
Plymouth, and on our arrival there on the 20th of June--having called at
Portsmouth on our way--we found them anxiously expecting us.

Here we were busily occupied for some days in rating the chronometers,
and testing the various magnetic instruments: we also during this time
swung the ship to try the local attraction, which neither here, nor in
any subsequent experiments, exceeded one degree. As the ship lay in the
Sound our observations were made on a stone in the breakwater marked
230/1, from whence we took our chronometric departure; it is about
one-third of the length from the east end, and had been used for similar
purposes by Captains King and Fitzroy. We considered it to be west of
Greenwich, 0 hours 16 minutes 33 seconds 4t.

FAREWELL GLANCE AT PLYMOUTH.

Hardly anyone can visit Plymouth Sound without being at once struck with
the singular beauty of the surrounding scenery; nor shall I easily forget
the mingled feelings of admiration and regret with which my eye dwelt
upon the quiet spot the evening before bidding it a long, long farewell.
The sea had sunk to sleep, and not a single breath disturbed its glassy
surface: the silent waters--and yet how eloquently that silence spoke to
the heart--gl