at first detained as hostages for some seamen, who, with the master of the Beagle, were forced to remain on shore, in consequence of the boat in which they had landed having been stolen by the natives; and until a rude canoe was constructed by the master, which enabled the whole party to get on board, they were without the means of rejoining their vessels.
“Four officers and seven men of the expedition have died since the Adventure and Beagle left England. Amongst the former is Captain Stokes, who commanded the Beagle when she sailed from this country, and of whose melancholy death, as well as of other events connected with the sailing and progress of this expedition, we have from time to time given accurate accounts in the Literary Gazette[1]. In this expedition the perseverance of Captain King, under most difficult and trying circumstances, cannot be too highly spoken of. We have heard the names of two young officers. Lieutenants (William George) Skyring and (Thomas) Graves, particularly mentioned, for their zeal and activity in promoting the objects of the survey. The former, who was placed in command of a small vessel, named the Adelaide, attached to the expedition as a tender, surveyed nearly all the coast, from the Gulf of Penas to the southward of the Guanaco islands, where it is supposed the unfortunate crew of the Wager, one of Lord Anson’s ships, were cast away in 1744.
“It was found, on making this survey of the Gulf of Penas, and that portion of the shore designated Tres Montes, that the latter was joined to the mainland by a neck of land, called the Isthmus of Offaqui. We have no doubt, from the indefatigable exertions of Captain Beaufort, the hydrographer of the Admiralty, that the details of this important addition to our maritime knowledge, will speedily be made known to the public.”
Commander King was promoted to the rank of captain, Feb. 25th, 1830. On the 25th April and 9th May, 1831, “some observations upon the geography of the southern extremity of South America, Tierra del Fuego, and the Strait of Magalhaens,” made by him during his recent survey, and accompanied with a map, were read before the Geographical Society of London. His wife is Harriet, sixth daughter of Christopher Lethbridge, of Launceston, co. Cornwall, Esq., and, we believe, that he is already the father of seven sons.
- ↑ Commander Stokes, who had for some time been apparently labouring under an aberration of intellect, terminated his existence early in Aug. 1828, and was succeeded in the command of the Beagle by Lieutenant Skyring.
