There are a few words used frequently in the following pages, which may not at first sight be familiar to every reader, therefore I need hardly apologize for saying that, although the great Portuguese navigator's name was Magalhaens--it is generally pronounced as if written Magellan:--that the natives of Tierra del Fuego are commonly called Fuegians;--and that Chilóe is thus accented for reasons given in page 384 of the second volume. In the absence of Captain King, who has entrusted to me the care of publishing his share of this work, I may have overlooked errors which he would have detected. Being hurried, and unwell, while attending to the printing of his volume, I was not able to do it justice. {x} It may be a subject of regret, that no paper on the Botany of Tierra del Fuego is appended to the first volume. Captain King took great pains in forming and preserving a botanical collection, aided by a person embarked solely for that purpose. He placed this collection in the British Museum, and was led to expect that a first-rate botanist would have examined and described it; but he has been disappointed. In conclusion, I beg to remind the reader, that the work is unavoidably of a rambling and very mixed character; that some parts may be wholly uninteresting to most readers, though, perhaps, not devoid of interest to all; and that its publication arises solely from a sense of duty. ROBERT FITZ-ROY. London, March 1839. * * * * * {xi} INTRODUCTION In 1825, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty directed two ships to be prepared for a Survey of the Southern Coasts of South America; and in May, of the following year, the ADVENTURE and the BEAGLE were lying in Plymouth Sound, ready to carry the orders of their Lordships into execution. These vessels were well provided with every necessary, and every comfort, which the liberality and kindness of the Admiralty, Navy Board, and officers of the Dock-yards, could cause to be furnished. On board the Adventure, a roomy ship, of 330 tons burthen, without guns,[1] lightly though strongly rigged, and very strongly built, were-- PHILLIP PARKER KING, Commander and Surveyor, Senior Officer of the Expedition. J. COOKE Lieutenant. B. AINSWORTH Master. J. TARN Surgeon. {xii} G. ROWLETT Purser. R. H. SHOLL Mate. J. C. WICKHAM Mate. J. F. BRAND Mate. T. GRAVES Mate and Assistant Surveyor. G. HARRISON Mate. E. WILLIAMS Second Master. J. PARK Assistant Surgeon. W. W. WILSON Midshipman. A. MILLAR Master's Assistant. A. MELLERSH Volunteer 1st Class. J. RUSSELL Volunteer 2d Class. G. HODGSKIN Clerk. J. ANDERSON Botanical Collector. Gunner--Boatswain--and Carpenter. Serjeant and fourteen Marines; and about forty Seamen and Boys.