United States Exploring Expedition. 25 



1840, the Viiicennes left the ice, and by the 24th of April, all 

 the vessels were together at Tongatabu. During the Antarctic 

 cruise, the scientific gentlemen were occupied making obser- 

 vations and collections in New Holland and New Zealand ; 

 they joined the squadron at the latter place. 



After delaying a day or two at Tongatabu, the squadron 

 proceeded to the Feejees, where nearly four months were in- 

 dustriously occupied in surveys and various scientific obser- 

 vations. Thence they sailed for the Sandwich Islands, passing 

 on the way, and surveying several small coral islands. The 

 Vincennes spent the winter at this group, and in the course of 

 it, the pendulum, and other philosophical instruments, were 

 carried to the very summit of Mauna Loa, an elevation of 

 14,000 feet. Occasionally, at sunset, they observed the su- 

 blime spectacle of the shadow of this mountain dome projected 

 upon the eastern skies. 



During the same time the Peacock and schooner Flying 

 Fish were cruising in the equatorial regions of the Pacific, 

 visiting and surveying numerous scattered coral islands, be- 

 sides the Navigator's and the Kingsmill group, and others of 

 the Caroline Archipelago. The Porpoise made charts of 

 several of the Paumotu Islands not before surveyed, and 

 touched again at Tahiti. 



In the Spring of 1841, the Vincennes and Porpoise were 

 early on the coast of Oregon. The Peacock and Flying Fish 

 arrived there in July ; and, while attempting to enter the 

 Columbia, the Peacock met with her disaster. There were 

 several land expeditions into the interior of Oregon, of from 

 500 to 1000 miles each, and one of about 800 miles from the 

 Columbia River to San Francisco, in California. 



The vessels left California in November 1841, touched for 

 supplies at the Sandwich Islands, and proceeded to Manilla, 



of this land, owing probably to mistaking the dispute with the French with re- 

 gard to priority of discovery, for a dispute with regard to discovery itself. The 

 facts here stated set the subject at rest. Within a few weeks, acknowledgments 

 have reached this country from the French expedition, yielding the priority to 

 the American expedition, and it will be so stated in their forthcoming publica- 

 tions. The part of the line of land which Ross is said to have sailed over, was a 

 discovery claimed by Bellamy, and which Captain Wilkes added to the chart he 

 sent Captain Ross, with Bellamy's name accidentally omitted in copying. 



