6 PREFACE. 
Captain, the spring of the men to the yard-arms, and soon the 
ship again on the dark, stormy sea, with labyrinths of islands, 
and the Fuegian cliffs to leeward; but, the wind losing some- 
what of its violence and slightly veering, the ship making a 
bare escape as the morning dawned with brighter skies. 
And still another scene, more than two. vears later, on a 
beautiful Sunday, in the summer of 1841, when, after a cruise 
of some months through the tropics, we were expecting soon 
to land on the shores of the Columbia; of the vessel sud- 
denly stopped on the grinding sands; there, as the waves 
passed, rising and falling with heavy blows on the fatal 
bar that made the timbers to quiver and creak; and thus 
helpless through a long night, the waters gaining in spite 
of the pumps;— morning come, the old craft, that had 
been a home for three eventful years, deserted, the boats 
carrying us, empty handed, to ‘Cape Disappoimtment ’ — 
a name that tells of other vessels here deceived and wrecked ; 
and, twenty hours later, the old “ Peacock” gone, her upper 
decks swept off by the waves, the hulk buried in the sands. 
But these were only incidents of a few hours in a long and 
always delightful cruise. If this work gives pleasure to any, 
it will but prolong in the world the enjoyments of the “ Ex- 
ploring Expedition.” 
In explanation of some allusions in the following pages, 
I may here state with regard to the Exploring Expedi- 
tion, that Captain (now Admiral) Cuartes Wixkes, U.S. N., 
the Commander of the Expedition, was in charge of the Sloop- 
of-war Vincennes; Capt. Wm. L. Hupson, U. 8. N., of the 
Sloop-of-war Peacock; Capt. A. K. Lone, U. 5S. N., of the 
Storeship Relief (the vessel which encountered the dangers 
in the Cape Horn sea, above related) ; and Lieut. Command- 
ant C. Rineeorp, of the Brig Porpoise; and that my associates 
