Both vessels’ crews were dispersed, as usual, unfortunately ;
and of those who had passed so many rough hours together,
b u t few were likely to meet again. I much regretted the separation
from my tried and esteemed shipmates, and from our
excellent little vessel.
Soon afterwards. Captain King and Lieutenant Skynng
were promoted: a gratifying proof of the good opinion of their
exertions and conduct, which was entertained by the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Eai'ly in November I received the sad intelligence that the
young man, called Boat Memory, was taken i l l ; and that the
symptoms of his disorder were like those of the small-pox.
Dr. Armstrong, of the B-oyal Hospital at Plymouth, whose
advice I sohcited, suggested that he and the other three Fuegians
should be received immediately into the hospital, with
the view of preventing further infection, and ensuring the best
treatment for the poor sufferer. Dr. Armstrong applied to
the physician. Dr. Dickson (now Sir David Dickson), as well
as Sir James Gordon, the superintendent, and by their advice
and permission the Fuegians were removed into the hospital
without delay; and an application was made to the Admiralty,
of which the following is a copy.
« gi). “ Devonport, 7th Nov. 1830.
“ I have the honour of addressing you to request that the
four Fuegians, whom I brought to lEngland in the Beagle,
may be received into the Royal Naval Hospital.
“ The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have stated
in a letter to Commander King, dated 19th Oct. 1830, that
‘ their Lordships will not interfere with Commander Fitz-Roy’s
personal superintendance of, or benevolent intentions towards
these four people, but they wül afford him any assistance in
maintaining and educating them in England, and will give
them a passage home again.’
“ In consequence of this assurance, I now beg tha t you will
draw their Lordships’ attention to the circumstance of an eruption
having broken out upon one of the Fuegian men, since he
was vaccinated, which is supposed, by the medical officers of
the hospital, to be the small-pox.
“ As the other three individuals have been always in company
with him, it is to be feared that they also are affected;
and as the vaccination has not yet taken a proper effect, it is
the opinion of the medical officers that it would be safer to
receive them into the hospital, until the present critical period
is passed, than to allow them to remain in private care.
“ I have further to request, that my late coxswain, James
Bennett, may be permitted to accompany, and remain with the
Fuegians, in order to attend upon them, in the event of their
Lordships allowing them to be admitted into the hospital; and
I hope. Sir, that the peculiar nature of the case may be thought
to justify this application.
“ I have. Sec.
“ The Secretary R o b e r t F i t z - R o y , Commander.”
of the Admiralty.
“ Sir, Admiralty-Office, 10th Nov. 1830.
“ I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty to acquaint you, in answer to your letter of this
day’s date, that directions have been given for the admission of
the four Fuegians therein alluded to, into the Naval Hospital
at Plymouth, and that James Bennett be allowed to attend
them, agreeably with your request.
“ I am. Sir, &c.
“ Commander Fitz-Roy. (Signed) “ J o h n B a r r o w .”
The Admiralty having thus sanctioned the admission of the
Fuegians into one of the best hospitals, and assured that
they could not he under better treatment than that of the
wellrknown gentlemen whom I have mentioned, I felt less
anxiety in leaving them for a time, as I was obliged to do, in
order to attend to duties connected with the su rv ey ; b u t I
had hardly reached London, when a letter from Dr. Dickson
informed me of the untimely fate of Boat Memory. Pie had
been vaccinated four different times; but the three first opera