satisfied, will give a faithful representation of the countries and islands, during the period of our visit.

I received every facility for obtaining information from our consuls, as well as from missionaries and American residents abroad. Some of them furnished me with interesting documents, connected with the past and present state of the countries where they reside, and procured from the different governments many valuable official papers. Indeed, the facilities met with have evinced a desire in all to further the undertaking with which I was charged.

To the Governor of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, my acknowledgments are particularly due, for his generous liberality in ordering me to be furnished by the Colonial Secretary, E. Deas Thompson, Esq., with all the documents published, not only at the time of our visit, but since. The latter have been kindly forwarded by our consul, J. H. Williams, Esq., to whom the Expedition is also greatly indebted. From all these documents I have been enabled to draw much valuable information, which I hope will be interesting to the general reader, as well as usefu to our interests abroad.

The reader who shall look to this Narrative for my version of the developements which were elicited by the proceedings of the courts-martial, will be disappointed, as I shall make no allusions that I can possibly avoid, to any of the subjects of a personal character that came before those tribunals, that occurred after the return of the Expedition; nor will the following Narrative embrace any personal matters or difficulties that may have taken place with the officers, for the reason that I do not regard such details as relevant or interesting to the general reader. The attempts to throw impediments in my way were unsuccessful; and I fully believe, that from whatever motive they may have arisen, those who caused them are now desirous that they should be forgotten. My countrymen will see that my duties were sufficiently arduous, without having other difficulties to contend with; and I have the gratification of feeling that those duties have been performed, and the results fairly obtained.

The performance of these duties is the best refutation that can be given to the many misstatements that have been circulated to the prejudice of the Expedition, but which, I trust, will now be set at rest. I have never had any personal feeling in the matter, except that which naturally arises from the wish to overcome all impediments, of whatever nature they might be. I can, therefore, have no desire but to give the true version of every circumstance of a public nature that may concern the Expedition; and I hope that I shall be able to do it with impartiality

and justice, touching as lightly as possible on the faults of individuals, and bestowing praise wherever it is justly due.

The objects intended to be accomplished by the Expedition, were such as to require not merely the usual obedience to the orders of its commander, but demanded, in addition, a zeal, that could only be inspired by a strong interest in its success, and intelligence of a higher character than is called into action in the ordinary routine of the duty of an officer. Deficiency in either quality was to oppose an obstacle to the success of the enterprise; in a word, we were placed in circumstances in which it became necessary for us to perform more than our ordinary duties. Those who felt and appreciated our situation, are entitled to the highest praise; while some apology may be made for others, who, perhaps, were unconscious of any failure in discipline, or actual dereliction of duty, and may have thought that they had cause to be aggrieved, when they found that I was not satisfied with the manner in which their services were rendered; yet, it was as incumbent on me to see that our work was not retarded by their want of zeal and knowledge, as to shorten sail on the approach of the tempest.

The instruments I was supplied with, were procured by myself in Europe; they were made by the best English, French, and German artists. A description of these will be given in the volume on Physics.

The longitudes of our principal stations have been determined by series of moon culminating stars, and meridian distances have been measured from them to other points by chronometers.

The latitudes of the important places were obtained by a number of sets of circum-meridian observations of sun and stars.

The chronometers used were by the best English makers, and most of them performed very satisfactorily. But two out of the twenty-nine became defective, and stopped; these will be more particularly noticed hereafter, in the volume pertaining to this subject. To it I must also refer for the manner in which our surveys were executed.

The magnetical instruments were by both English and French makers. Results have been had throughout the cruise, and will serve to give a magnetic chart of the world; these will be published in the volume on Physics. Those observations of more immediate interest in the high southern latitudes, will be embraced in these volumes.

In the Appendix will be found all the official documents relating to the operations of the Squadron. These I have thought it necessary to lay before the public, in order that it may have a full view of the whole of the operations in which the

Squadron was employed, and may be able to examine and compare the orders under which we acted, with the duties which have been performed. The Narrative will embody all those which we executed, and will thus enable all to judge how the work was conducted.

I had, at an early day after my appointment, assigned the 10th of August as the time for our departure, and had assured the President that at that time I should be ready, and would sail; but that it was entirely impossible for me to fix an earlier day. I feel much satisfaction in reflecting on the confidence the President and Secretary placed in me. It was fully appreciated. The exertions of all were bent to fulfil this pledge, although almost all those connected with the enterprise doubted the possibility of getting off so soon. Every thing, however, was completed, and I left Washington on the 10th of August.

On my arrival at Norfolk, I found every thing in a state of forwardness, and the Squadron in Hampton Roads, whither they had dropped down on the 8th of August. The names of the pilot-boats were now changed to the Sea-Gull and FlyingFish, as had been agreed upon with Mr. Paulding; and they were placed under command of Passed Midshipmen Reid and Knox.

reports made to me, that But whatever our defects The great anxiety of the

I was well aware, from my own observations and the we were any thing but well equipped for such a cruise. were, it was now entirely too late to remedy them. government to have us get to sea, after the vexatious delays that had before occurred in the sailing of the Expedition, disappointing the honest expectations of the whole country, and particularly the depressing effect any further delay would produce on the spirits and ardour of the officers and men, made me come to the resolution to put to sea at all hazards, and endeavour to remedy the defects as much as possible within our own means, or on our arrival at places where it could be done effectually.

Before sailing from Hampton Roads, the internal rules and regulations for the government of the Squadron were issued, in order to make the terms of duties more uniform, and that in case of transfer of men and officers during the cruise, from one vessel to another, no one could be at a loss to know the duties he had to perform. These continued, without any material change, to be rigidly enforced. throughout the cruise. Signal-books were also arranged, to supply the defective ones that are furnished the navy.

I was called upon, in a few cases, to exercise the means in my possession to punish aggressions. Yet my aim has been, throughout the cruise, so to conduct the duties devolving upon the Squadron, that it would carry with it the force of

moral principle. All the regulations and operations were made to tend to this. end. I considered this as one of my first duties, and in it I have been well supported by Captain Hudson and Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, and by most of the officers of the Expedition. I feel great satisfaction in having received testimonials from the different missionaries, that my course has been fully appreciated by them. Indeed, I have reason to rejoice that I have been enabled to carry the moral influence of our country to every quarter of the globe where our flag has waved; and I trust that the Expedition will compare advantageously with any other that has preceded it, in its moral and correct deportment.

WASHINGTON CITY,

November, 1844.

CHARLES WILKES.