Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/50

4 for some time been suffering, found that his constitution was too much shattered to allow of his continuing the command, subject to such changes of climate as it would necessarily entail; and therefore, having been invalided, he returned to England in her Majesty's ship, North Star.

Lieutenant Kellett, of the Starling, was then appointed acting commander of the Sulphur, and Lieutenant Dashwood, first of the Sulphur, to the command of the Starling.

The vessels then proceeded to Callao August 7th, Paita August 21st, Guayaquil 24th, Gorgona January 11th, 1837, and finally reached Panama on January 29th, where they had been directed to await further instructions from England.

On the Lords of the Admiralty receiving notice of the return of Captain Beechey, their Lordships thought fit to entrust me with the command. I was at that time employed in Lancashire, surveying its coasts; but was merely performing that duty until another steamer could be provided, to enable me to resume my proper command of the Irish Sea survey. On the 10th November, 1836, I received my appointment to her Majesty's ship Sulphur, and a passage having been ordered for me in her Majesty's steamer Echo, I proceeded in her to Portsmouth, where I had to complete some magnetic experiments, and thence to Falmouth, where the illness of Lieutenant Reid, commander of the Echo, caused some little delay. This was perhaps fortunate, as a very