- Author
- Hordern, Marsden
- Subjects
- Biographies and personal histories, Ship histories and stories, History - pre-Federation
- Tags
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- March 2003 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Another moment, and ours would have been the fate of so many other explorers – the hand of the savage almost grasped our throats – we should have fallen a sacrifice in the cause of discovery, and our bones left to moulder on this distant shore, would have been trodden heedlessly under foot by the wandering native.
Stokes had survived the first brief violent round in his fight for life; the second – agonising and prolonged – was about to begin.
(Explanation of personalities:
- John Lort Stokes was a lieutenant and assistant surveyor in HMS Beagle, commanded by Commander Wickham RN.
- The First Lieutenant was Graham Gore.
- His shipmate and close friend Crawford Pasco was a Mate.
- Another Mate and surveyor was Benjamin Francis Helpman.
- The Surgeon and keen naturalist was Benjamin Bynoe, whose undoubted skills and attention saved Stoke’s life after the spearing encounter.)