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A PARTY FOR THE INTERIOR-PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY-PASSPORTS-MR.
BIGGS-DEPARTURE-EFFECT OF OFFICIAL PAPERS-FACE OF COUNTRY-RUINS OF
INCA TOWNS-PONCHORUA-CABALLEROS-CONVOY OF SILVER-ACCOMMODATIONS

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OF MAJOR ROSEL -

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SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT THE OBJECT OF RULERS-END OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR-
GENERAL BOLIVAR DICTATOR-HIS AUTHORITY CEASES-GENERAL LA MAR ELECTED
-GAMARRA'S TREACHERY-LA MAR ARRESTED AND BANISHED-GAMARRA AND
LAFUENTE ELECTED-ATTEMPTS TO SEIZE LAFUENTE-HIS ESCAPE-EXECUTION
- CONVENTION CONVOKED GAMARRA RESIGNS - ORBEJOSO
ELECTED-REVOLUTION BY BERMUDEZ AND GAMARRA - BERMUDEZ CAPTURED
ORBEJOSO'S AUTHORITY RESTORED-SALAVERRY REVOLTS-DECLARES HIMSELF
SUPREME DICTATOR-UNITES WITH GAMARRA-GAMARRA DEFEATED-ARRESTED
BY SALAVERRY AND BANISHED-SALAVERRY MARCHES AGAINST SANTA CRUZ-
BATTLE OF SOCABAYA-SALAVERRY DEFEATED-TAKEN PRISONER-TRIED AND
SHOT-ORBEJOSO REINSTATED-TREATY WITH CHILI NULLIFIED-SANTA CRUZ'S
INTRIGUES-DISMEMBERMENT OF PERU-ASSEMBLY OF SICUANI-SANTA CRUZ
NAMED SUPREME PROTECTOR-CONVENTION OF HUARA-GENERAL FREYRE FITS
OUT AN EXPEDITION-CHILIAN CONSUL-GENERAL EVADES THE EMBARGO-SEI-
ZURE OF PERUVIAN VESSELS-NEGOTIATION-CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES—INVA
SION OF ALTA PERU-DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN-TREATY OF PEACE-RETURN OF

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STORE-SHIP RELIEF-EDWIN BARTLETT, ESQ.-EDWARD M'CALL, ESQ.-DEPARTURE-
CAPTAIN M’KEEVER-PERUVIAN BRIG-SMALL-POX-GENERAL ORDER-PROPOSED
ROUTE - CURRENTS—EXPERIMENTS-TEMPERATURE-ALEXANDER OGLE-CLER-
MONT DE TONNERRE-APPEARANCE OF IT-SURVEY-NATIVES-JOHN SAC-DIFFI-
CULTIES WITH NATIVES-LANDING-SERLE ISLAND - HONDEN -SURVEYS- CORAL
ISLANDS-VEGETATION-BIRDS, ETC.-DISAPPOINTMENT ISLANDS-INHABITANTS-
WYTOOHEE-OTOOHO-TAIARO-RARAKA-LANDING-ONE-HANDED CHIEF-HIS VISIT

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TO THE SHIP-INHABITANTS-CATCHING FISH-LEAVE-TAKING GALE-NARROW
ESCAPE OF PEACOCK-PORPOISE DESPATCHED-VINCENNES ISLAND-CRITICAL PO-
SITION OF TENDER-LANDING-ARATICA ISLAND-COMMUNICATION WITH ITS IN
HABITANTS-LANDING-VILLAGE-DESCRIPTION OF ISLAND-FRESH WATER-FOOD
-TENDER DESPATCHED TO KING GEORGE'S GROUP-VINCENNES AND PEACOCK DIS-
COVER MANHII AND AHII ISLANDS-SURVEY-LANDING-OBSERVATIONS-NATIVES-
DESERTER ECLIPSE-PEACOCK DESPATCHED TO RURICK ISLAND VINCENNES
PASSES TO NAIRSA-INHABITANTS-KRUSENSTERN'S ISLAND-METIA ISLAND-ITS
APPEARANCE-SURVEY-LANDING-NATIVES-MISSIONARIES' KINDNESS-COSTUMES
-ASCEND THE ISLAND-VEGETATION-APPEARANCE OF THE ISLAND-DEPARTURE
-ARRIVAL AT TAHITI-ANCHOR IN MATAVAI BAY - OBSERVATIONS ON POINT
VENUS-PROCEEDINGS OF PORPOISE-PROCEEDINGS OF PEACOCK-ARUTUA-SURVEY
-NAIRSA OR DEAN'S ISLAND-CORAL BLOCKS-METIA ISLAND-OBSERVATIONS..
TETUAROA-FLYING-FISH-TIOKEA AND OURA-HISTORY OF PAUMOTU GROUP-CHA

RACTER OF ITS INHABITANTS-POPULATION....

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307-345

INTRODUCTION.

THE Expedition, a narrative of the operations of which is now laid before the public, was the first, and is still the only one fitted out by national munificence for scientific objects, that has ever left our shores. It would, therefore, appear proper that a more minute account of its outfit should be given, thar could be expected of one despatched by an older nation. This is more particularly the case, as a great part of the difficulties it had to encounter, occurred previously to its sailing. I would not, however, have the reader to believe that I intend to enter into details of transactions of which, perhaps, no one knows the origin, or to speculate on the causes that operated to prevent its sailing within a reasonable time after the passage of the Act of Congress directing it to be undertaken.

The command of the Exploring Expedition devolved upon me, by orders from the Hon. Mahlon Dickerson, then Secretary of the Navy, on the 20th March, 1838. At that time, great confusion existed in its organization. It is unnecessary, and would be out of place here, to enter into its previous history. It is sufficient to refer to the fact, that it had already been denounced as an entire and complete failure, and that I was instructed to organize it anew.

Whatever others are disposed to think, I am inclined to believe, that the originating, getting up, and getting off a first National Expedition, is a work of no small difficulty, and this is much increased by the public thinking, talking of, 2*

(xiii)

and interfering too much with it. I felt this myself, although it did not cause me much difficulty. The successive resignations of the different officers who had been appointed to the command, led every body to look upon it with disgust, and, in consequence, my road was clear, or comparatively unembarrassed. The very state of things that brought the Expedition into general disrepute, was of great advantage to me, for I was left to perform my duties unmolested. One of the difficulties I had to encounter, was to make a selection from the numerous articles provided, and this was a work of no ordinary kind. They may have been all useful, and perhaps necessary for a larger Squadron; but if all had been embarked, every vessel of the Squadron would have been filled. Every expense that could be lavished on its equipment had been incurred. One rule of action soon brought me to dispose of the whole: this was the capacity to stow them; and parts of each were accordingly selected for the new order of things.

On the 20th of April, I was informed that the vessels appointed for this service were the sloops of war Vincennes and Peacock, the brig Porpoise, and store-ship Relief. The tenders Sea-Gull and Flying-Fish were subsequently

added.

The Relief was the only one of the vessels that had belonged to the original Squadron.

On this reduction of force, it became necessary to change the organization, not only in point of numbers, but also to bring the officers into more intimate connexion with the scientific duties.

This was done by placing all those departments that in any way appertained or belonged to our profession under my direction, with officers of the navy for assistants. The size and accommodation of the vessels naturally led to the reduction of those departments that were placed under the corps of civilians, including naturalists as well as artists. As many of these were taken as could be accommodated. The selection was made with much deliberation, and with great impartiality. Reference was had to the departments in which results were most to be expected, and most desired by the country. The only new one added was the Horticulturist and Assistant-Botanist, Mr. Brackenridge.

After the 20th of April, every exertion was made to forward the various out. fits. By the 7th July, the Vincennes and Peacock were taken charge of, and dropped down between the forts at Norfolk, and it was determined that the Squadron should rendezvous in Hampton Roads. On the following day, the seamen were transferred from the Macedonian, which had been the flag-ship under the original organization. I felt some solicitude about the crews. They

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