Fortunately, I found on boar.l a man who had been a soldier in the Peninsular war (Mr. Wickham), and, after a little persuasion, he agreed to spend half-an-hour a day with us for the purpose. …
"Sunday, July 24th.—Mr. Everard again read prayers, and introduced a suitable prayer for the success of the voyage and its object.
"July 26th.—This morning the first-mate found on the deck a flying-fish."
It may be mentioned here that, throughout this and subsequent voyages, Mr. Gouger made elaborate notes concerning every new form of life with which he came in contact. Thus he describes the flying-fish scientifically, gives its length and breadth, the manner and length of its flight, and accompanies the description with an admirable drawing in which the various shades and hues of the fish are given with great vividness and accuracy. The old love of natural history, which had been his favourite study in the days of his youth, but had been completely abandoned in the years of stress and storm in Australian affairs, returned to him in these hours of comparative idleness; every bird or fish brought on board—and there were many—became the object of his special care and amusement. But these and other details, not falling within the scope of our present purpose, have been omitted in our extracts.
