Harry: a 175 year old survivor of the Beagle

Harry: a 175 year old survivor of the Beagle
15 October 2010, (Beachcombing)
http://beachcombing.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/harry-a-175-year-old-survivor-of-the-beagle/

Excerpt:

The Beagle, it will be remembered, sailed with Darwin from 1831-1836.

Jeremy Button a Fijian hostage on the Beagle survived to 1864 (aged about 50)

John Wickham Lieutenant on the Beagle died in 1864 (aged 66) – it was Wickham who gave the name ‘Darwin’ to a harbour in northern Australia.

The Beagle’s captain, that fine old Tory Robert ‘Hot Coffee’ Fitzroy died in 1865 (aged 60) – tragically by suicide.

Conrad Martens the Beagle’s artist passed away in 1878 (aged 77), a heart attack ending his life.

Darwin himself died at 73 in 1882 of coronary thrombosis: ‘I am not the least afraid of death…’

And Robert McCormick ship surgeon (for part of the voyage) made it to 90 (1890).

But Harry trumped them all by well over a century, finally giving out in 2006, after a heart failure.