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The voyage of the HMS Herald from 1838-1842 did not have a specific role of scientific study or exploration. The frigate was built for speed, and used mainly to complete diplomatic missions throughout the Empire. Nonetheless, the crew on board, including Henry Comber, took an interest in the world around them, and travelled home with tales of exotic plants and wildlife, and descriptions of the interesting and wonderful people they met. In keeping with the age of the gentleman scientist, Comber caught and had stuffed various animals to take home as trophies. He also describes killing dolphins and sea birds for amusement during lulls in the journey, and was just as likely to hunt for sustenance, as for possible edification.
Circumnavigating the globe at the same time as the Herald was the HMS Sulphur, mentioned in Comber's journal for its part in the Opium War. The Macmillan Brown Library holds three important editions arising from the journey of the Sulphur, detailing the plants and zoological specimens collected by medical officers Richard Hinds, George Barclay and Andrew Sinclair. Under Captain Edward Belcher (1799-1877), the Sulphur travelled from Panama in 1838, to Central America, Hawaii, Vancouver Island, San Francisco, Tahiti, Tonga, the New Hebrides, and Indonesia. The Sulphur was then ordered to China, and took part in the Opium War alongside the Herald. They finally returned to England, via Singapore, Sumatra, Ceylon, Madagascar, the Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena and Ascension.
The resulting botanical and zoological collection from the Sulphur was later studied and published in three volumes,"The botany of the voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur, under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher during the years 1836-42" (6 parts), "The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur, during the years 1836-42" and "Narrative of a voyage round the world, performed in her majesty's ship Sulphur, during the years 1836-1842" (Vol 1 & 2).
The first of these volumes was co-authored by George Bentham (1800-1884), the botanist responsible for the "Flora Hongkongensis" of 1861, and the classic "Flora Australiensis" in seven volumes from 1863-1878. In the "Australian Dictionary of Biography", this series is noted as the first to cover a large continental area, one of the few entirely by one author, and a 'prodigious effort never equalled'. Unfortunately, the Library's copy of "Flora Australiensis" is now missing, presumed stolen. However, copies of all three series relating to the voyage of the Sulphur are held in the UC Library collections.
View extracts from Comber’s journal relating to plant and animal life
