CHARLES WILKES. 331 



in or near the usual course of American vessels, 

 which had escaped the scrutiny of former naviga- 

 tors. Six ships of various sizes were placed under 

 his orders, the sloops-of-war Yincennes and Pea- 

 cock, the ship Relief, the brig Porpoise, and the 

 tenders Sea-Gull and Flying-Fish. The route de- 

 signated for Captain Wilkes was as follows : starting 

 from Norfolk, he was directed first to sail to Eio de 

 Janeiro, thence to Eio Negro, to Terra del Fuego, 

 to the Navigators' Group and Feejee Islands. Having 

 penetrated the Antarctic region, he was ordered to 

 proceed to the Sandwich Islands, and thence to the 

 northwest coast of America and California. After 

 making various investigations there, he was to sail 

 westward to Japan, thence to the Straits of Sunda 

 and Singapore, and return to the United States by 

 the Cape of Good Hope. This extensive outline of 

 research and exploration was wisely selected with 

 reference to the most pressing wants of American 

 commerce ; and the important, diversified, and diffi- 

 cult aims prescribed to the commander in his in- 

 structions by the United States Government, were 

 pursued by him, during the five years employed in 

 the service, with unsurpassed ability, with unweary- 

 ing perseverance, and with brilliant success. 



Captain Wilkes received his sailing-instructions 

 on the 17th of August, 1838, with orders to put to 



