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Chapter IV.
First Outward Voyage.—Forecasts of Future Life.

As the ship left the shores of his native land, and gradually won her way towards the tropics, the hopes and purposes which had before been shadowed in Grey's mind began to assume more definite shapes and proportions. Often pacing the deck alone at night beneath the quiet stars of the tropics, or when, in colder latitudes, the rounded sails were gleaming in the moonlight, and the ship, with a fresh breeze behind her, was impatiently mounting the white-crested waves and winging her way to the new lands, plans for the future of his own work and toil, and for the benefit especially of the poorer classes of his countrymen, moulded and worked themselves out in George Grey's mind. He determined not merely to prosecute explorations and to discover great territories, but to devote the energies of his life to the new purpose of ameliorating the condition of the masses of his people. His mind, though not enthusiastic, was always characterized by excessive strength of opinion and determination of purpose. A plan once formed was never relinquished. A determination once taken, no vacillation was allowed. No hesitation stayed his hand or foot in the accomplishment of the end he had proposed to himself. Cut off from the ordinary circles of friendship in England, started upon the voyage which meant the commencement of an active life, he could not avoid continuous thought upon the great purposes which he desired to accomplish.

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The first break in the journey after leaving Plymouth was at Teneriffe, on the 19th of July. Anchoring off the quaint city of Santa Cruz, the Beagle stayed till the afternoon of the 23rd. This time was pleasantly spent by young Grey in expeditions across the island to various interesting spots, in taking a series of magnetic observations, and in collating a vocabulary of the language of the Guanches—a race who held possession of the Canary Islands about fifteen hundred years ago, but who passed out of existence within the century. He was much interested in noting other evidences of the occupation of the islands by these people, particularly an inaccessible cave, the opening of which was filled with their bones. Grey could only account for their being there by the supposition that they had gained the cave from the interior of the country or by a winding path on the face of the cliff, which had afterwards been destroyed and their retreat cut off. The stay here was accompanied by the usual difficulty experienced by a foreigner in making himself understood. This was peculiarly noticeable in Grey's case when it was to the interest of the residents not to understand.

The voyage from Teneriffe to Bahia was uneventful, though very pleasant. The anchor was dropped in the harbour of the latter place on August 17th. The beauty and luxuriance of the vegetation, the bountifulness of nature, awakened in the young explorer's mind "those wild and indescribable feelings which accompany the first entrance into a rich tropical country." Speaking of a walk on the evening of his arrival, he says, "The luxuriant foliage, expanding in magnificent variety, the brightness of the stars above, the dazzling brilliancy of the fireflies around me, the breeze laden with balmy smells, and the busy hum of insect life making the deep woods vocal, at first oppress the senses with a feeling of novelty and strangeness, till the mind appears to hover between the realms of truth and falsehood."

On the 25th the Beagle left the shores of Brazil and set sail for the Cape of Good Hope, which they reached on the 22nd of September. Finding that a vessel could be procured here more readily and economically than at Swan River, where they had previously intended to hire one for the expedition, they engaged the Lynher, a schooner of about 140 tons. From this time till page 21the 12th of October every moment was occupied with preparations for departure, engaging a few additional men of good character, embarking live stock (sheep and goats and dogs), collecting useful plants, vegetables, and fruits that would he likely to thrive in the new land, laying in necessary stores, and making all business arrangements.

The party consisted of twelve, besides the captain, mate, and crew of the schooner. The plan resolved on was to proceed to Hanover Bay, to select a good spot there for a temporary encampment, and, having landed the stock, to send away the schooner, under Lieutenant Lushington's command, to Timor for ponies. Embarking on the evening of October 12th, the Lynher hove anchor, and sailed away early next morning.

Lieutenant Grey very briefly speaks of his feelings and plans in the following passage: —" Great, then, was my joy when all my preparations were completed and I felt the vessel gliding swiftly from Table Bay into that vast ocean at the other extremity of which lay the land I so longed to see, and to which I was now bound, with the ardent hope of opening the way for the conversion of a barren wilderness into a fruitful garden.

"Part of my plan was not only to introduce all useful animals that I possibly could into this part of Australia, but also the most valuable plants of every description. For this purpose a collection has been made at Teneriffe by Mr. "Walker, under my direction, and another in South America, including the seeds of the cotton plant. From the Cape and from England I had also procured other useful plants, and had planned that the vessel, on quitting Timor with the horses, should be filled in every vacant space with young cocoanut trees and other fruits, together with useful animals, such as goats and sheep, in addition to the stock we conveyed from the Cape."