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removed into the other, and with her, singly, to
proceed in prosecution of the service, or return to
England, according as circumstances shall appear to
require ; understanding that the officers and crews
of both vessels are hereby authorized, and required,
to continue to perform their duties, according to
their respective ranks and stations, on board either
vessel to which they may be so removed. Should,
unfortunately, your own vessel be the one disabled,
you are in that case to take the command of the
Beagle: and, in the event of any fatal accident happening
to yourself; Captain Stokes is hereby authorized
to take the command of the Expedition;
either on hoard the Adventure, or Beagle, as he
may prefer; placing the officer of the Expedition
who may then be next in seniority to him, in command
of the second vessel: also, in the event of
your inability, by sickness or otherwise, at any
period of this service, to continue to carry the
Instructions into execution, you are to transfer them
to Captain Stokes, or to the surviving officer then
next in command to you, who is hereby required to
execute them, in the best manner he can, for the
attainment of the object in view.
“ When you shall have completed the service, or
shall, from any cause, be induced to give it up ; you
will return to Spithead with all convenient expedition
; and report your arrival, and proceedings, to
our Secretary, for our information.
“ Whilst on the South American Station, you
are to consider yourself under the command of
the Admiral of that Station; to whom we have
expressed our desire that he should not interfere
with these orders, e.xcept under peculiar necessity.
“ Given under our hands the 16th of May 1826.
(Signed) “ M e l v i l l e .
“ G . COCKBURN.
“ To Phillip P . King, Esq., Commander
of His Majesty’s Surveying Vessel
Adventure, at Plymouth.
“ By command of their Lordships.
(Signed) “ J. W. C r o k e r . ”
On the 22d of May, 1826, the Adventure and
Beagle sailed from Plymouth; and, in their way
to Rio de Janeiro, called successively at Madeira,
Teneriffe, and St. Jago.
Unfavourable weather prevented a boat being
sent ashore at the northern part of San Antonio;
but observations were made in Terrafal Bay, on the
south-west side of the island: and, after crossing
the Equator, the Trade-wind hung so much to the
southward, that Trinidad could not be approached
without a sacrifice of time, which, it was considered,
might be prejudicial to more important
objects of the Expedition.
Both ships anchored at Rio de Janeiro on the
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