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scientific gentlemen, consisting of the following persons, will accompany the Expedition, and are placed under your direction.

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"The hydrography and geography of the various seas and countries you may visit in the route pointed out to you in the preceding instructions, will occupy your special attention; and all the researches connected with them, as well as with astronomy, terrestrial magnetism, and meteorology, are confined exclusively to the officers of the Navy, on whose zeal and talents the Department confidently relies for such results as will enable future navigators to pass over the track traversed by your vessels, without fear and without danger.

"No special directions are thought necessary, as to the mode of conducting the scientific researches and experiments which you are enjoined to prosecute, nor is it intended to limit the members of the corps each to his own particular service.

"All are expected to co-operate harmoniously in those kindred pursuits, whose equal dignity and usefulness should insure equal ardour and industry in extending their bounds and verifying their principles.

"As guides to yourself and to the scientific corps, the Department would, however, direct your particular attention to the learned and comprehensive Report of a committee of the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, the Report of a Committee of the East India Marine Society of Salem, Massachusetts; and to a communication from the Naval Lyceum of New York, which accompany, and are to be regarded as forming a part of these instructions, as far as they may accord with the primary objects of the Expedition, and its present organization. You will, therefore, allow the gentlemen of the scientific corps the free perusal of these valuable documents, and permit them to copy such portions as they may think proper.

"The Russian Vice-Admiral, Krusenstern, transmitted to the Department memorandums relating to the objects of this Expedition, together with the most approved charts of his Atlas of the Pacific Ocean, with explanations, in three volumes. These are also confided to your care, and it is not doubted that the friendly contribution of

this distinguished navigator, will essentially contribute to the success of an enterprise in which he takes so deep an interest. It being considered highly important, that no journal of this voyage, either partial or complete, should be published, without the authority and under the supervision of the government, at whose expense this Expedition is undertaken, you will, before you reach the waters of the United States, require from every person under your command, the surrender of all journals, memorandums, remarks, writings, drawings, sketches, and paintings, as well as all specimens of every kind, collected or prepared during your absence from the United States. After causing correct inventories of these to be made, and signed by two commissioned officers, and by the parties by whom they were collected or prepared, you will cause them to be carefully sealed by the said officers, and reserved for such disposition as the Department may direct. You will adopt the most efficient measures to prepare and preserve all specimens of natural history that may be collected; and should any opportunity occur for sending them home by a vessel of war of the United States, also copies of information, duplicates of specimens, or any other materials, you may deem important to preserve from future accident, you will avail yourself of the occasion; forwarding, as frequently as may be done with safety, details of your voyage, and its most material events; at the same time strictly prohibiting all communications, except to this Department, from any person attached to the Expedition, referring to discoveries, or any circumstances connected with the progress of your enterprise.

"It is believed that the officers under your command require no special advice or direction from this Department. Bearing in mind, as they no doubt will, that the undertaking in which they are about assisting to accomplish, is one that necessarily attracts the attention of the civilized world, and that the honour and interest of their country are equally involved in its results, it is not for a moment doubted, but that in this, as on all other occasions, they will so conduct themselves as to add to the reputation our navy has so justly acquired at home and abroad.

"With the best wishes for the success of the Expedition, and the safe return of yourself and your companions,

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XII.

GENERAL ORDER.

ALL the officers of the Exploring Expedition will be required to conform to the rules and regulations of the service, by keeping a journal during the cruise, which they will send to the commander of the ship to which he may be attached, weekly.

This journal will contain the daily reckoning, distances, bearings, &c., of the ship when at sea; also, a full record (with such observations and remarks as may present themselves) in relation to all occurrences or objects of interest, which may, at the time, be considered even of the least importance, and which may come under the observation of the officers, whether on board ship or on shore, and may tend to illustrate any transaction or occurrence which may take place, or afford any information in regard to the manners, habits, or customs of natives, and the position and characters of such places as may be visited. The journals required by this order will be disposed of agreeably to the directions of the Honourable Secretary of the Navy, and it is expected that they will be as full and complete as possible. CHARLES WILKES, Commanding Exploring Expedition.

(Signed)

U.S. Ship Vincennes,

At Sea, September 13th, 1838.

XIII.

U. S. Ship Vincennes,

At Sea, September 13th, 1838.

SIR,

As the officers may not understand the kind of journal it is necessary for them to keep, I take this occasion to make known the expectations of the government and my wishes respecting this part of their duty, which I consider as paramount to all others.

1st. The duties devolving upon all the officers of this Expedition are altogether of a public nature, and it is incumbent on me to say, require of them to bestow their constant and devoted attention to all incidents, facts, or occurrences, which may present themselves, in order that hereafter they may (if necessary) verify or confirm by their testimony any information in relation to the same, and thereby place the evidence beyond a doubt. This can only be effected by keeping

full and complete memoranda of all observations, made at the time, and entered in the journals.

2d. I consider it of great importance, that every officer should know the actual situation of the ship, from his own calculations, that when called upon at any moment, he might be able to refer to his own journal for the results. On this might possibly depend the safety and ultimate success of the Expedition, as one or two might fall into error, but it is not likely that many would.

3d. The kind of journal required is not a mere copy of the log-board, but it is a diary, in which will be noticed all that relates to public information, being a record of all objects of interest, however small, which may take place during the cruise, in the scientific or any other department: and the views of the officer ought to be briefly expressed concerning things that may come under his notice. The very record that nothing has transpired during the day, may be of use; but it is believed that this will be of rare occurrence.

The whole will form a mass of evidence for the use of the government on our return, which will tend to illustrate and make clear the transactions and occurrences that may have taken place, as well as the habits, manners, customs, &c., of the natives, and the positions, descriptions, and character of such places as we may visit.

These memoranda are highly essential to me, in order that nothing may be neglected or overlooked in conducting the Expedition to a successful issue, in which we are all so deeply interested. I wish particularly to avail myself of the results and observations of all, to avoid the possibility of passing over any subject without full examination and remark.

A casual memorandum or observation, believed at the time of little importance, may lead to important and satisfactory results. These journals, therefore, will become a useful medium of communication between the officers and myself, relative to the scientific and other duties in progress.

I trust I need not remark that the above relates entirely to public transactions. With private affairs I have nothing to do: they are, and always should be deemed sacred, and, consequently, will form no part of the records.

I enclose a special order relating to this subject, which you will promulgate to the officers of this ship.

I am, respectfully, &c.,

CHARLES WILKES, Commanding Exploring Expedition.

THOMAS T. CRAVEN,

First Lieutenant, Vincennes.

XIV.

U. S. Ship Vincennes,

At Sea, September 14th, 1838.

As it appears to me that the bounty recently directed by the Fourth Auditor, to be checked against the marines now attached to the Exploring Expedition, was given to them by the authority of the Navy Department, through Commodore Jones, (as appears by his General Order, No. 1,) not as recruits, but in consideration of their obligating themselves to serve during the cruise of the Expedition, without reference to their term of service; I deem it, therefore, proper and just to order the Pursers of the Exploring Expedition not to check the bounty against the marines of the squadron under my command.

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It was with much surprise I learnt, a few days after sailing from Hampton Roads, that the pursers of the Exploring Expedition had received instructions from the Fourth Auditor to check the marines now in the Exploring Expedition with the bounty paid them in November, 1837, by order of Commodore Jones.

I flattered myself that I had, on sailing, overcome all the obstacles that had occurred, and I was not a little excited on finding that a new apple of discord had been thrown into the squadron, and particularly that part of it so valuable and necessary as the marines.

I presume, however, this has been done without a knowledge of the mischief it might produce in the efficiency and progress of the Expedition, if carried into effect.

As it appears that some of the marines who received this bounty had been in the service a long time, and none of them were recruits, and with a view of preventing any mischievous effects upon those now in the Expedition, I have issued an order to the pursers not to check the bounty referred to; a copy of which is herewith enclosed, marked No. 1: also a letter from Sergeant Stearns, in relation to the subject, marked No. 2; I take leave also to enclose a copy of the General Order issued by Commodore Jones to the Exploring Expedition in October, 1837,

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