The crew consisted of about 21 naval officers including Captain George Nares and later Captain Frank Thomson in 1875, 6 civilian/scientific staff led by Dr. C. Wyville Thomson, and approximately 216 crew.  When the voyage ended in 1876 only 144 remained on the ship. Seven people had died; five had left with Captain Nares on the Arctic expedition; twenty-six had been left in hospitals or been too injured to continue the journey; and several had deserted at the various ports of call.