114 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



keeping a clear sea open to the westward that there may be nothing in the way should it be 

 desirable to run to the northward and westward, which would be the true course to take in case 

 of encountering the southwestern or northwestern quadrants of a cyclone, (which, in the 

 hurricane season, a vessel from Mauritius is in danger of,) and this course she should keep until 

 she is sufficiently far north to be beyond its influence. Steamers, of course, have superior means 

 of avoiding these storms, as they have the power of steering the most judicious course to escape 

 from their greatest fury. 



Following the advice of several experienced seamen, when the Mississippi left, she took the 

 circuitous route (the distance from Mauritius to Ceylon being thereby made 150 miles greater) 

 and pa ssed to the westward of the Cargados and between the island Galega and Laya de Mahla 

 Bank ; thence, doubling -the northern extremity of that bank the ship was steered to the 

 eastward for Pona Moluque, the southernmost of the Maldives ; after passing this the course 

 was direct for Point de Galle in Ceylon. 



Before leaving the United States, Messrs. Howland & Aspinwall, of New York, at the 

 suggestion of the Commodore, had dispatched two ships laden with coal, one to the Cape of ■ 

 Good Hope, and the other to Mauritius. The prudence of this precaution was proved by the 

 result ; but i'or these two cargoes the Mississippi, as well as the other steamers of the squadron 

 which were to follow her — the Powhatan and Alleghany — woiild have had the greatest 

 difficulty in procuring fuel. In the case of both cargoes, they arrived at their respective places 

 of destination a few days before the Mississippi^ so that both at the Cape and Mauritius the 

 ship was enabled at once to take in fresh fuel, and leave a supply for the steamers that were to 

 come after.* 



Having taken on board about five hundred tons of this coal, with such other supplies as were 

 needed, the Mississippi left St. Louis on the morning of the 28th of February, intending to 

 touch for a further supply of fuel either at Point de Galle or Singapore, if it should appear pos- 

 sible to reach the latter named place with the coal taken on board at Mauritius. The course 

 was that already indicated above, and on the evening of the 10th of March the light was made 

 on Point de Galle, island of Ceylon, after a passage of thirteen days. 



The port of Point de Galle is the general rendezvous of the English India mail steamers^ not 

 only of those which ply to and fropa the Red sea, but of those which double the Cape of Good 

 Hope, bound to India or the China seas. Large quantities of coal and patent fuel are brought 

 from England and deposited there ; and though the quantity would seem to be enormous, yet 

 so great is the consumption of the numerous steamers, of which there are about ten each month 

 touching at the port, that there is sometimes an apprehension felt of the supply of fuel falling 

 short. The Oriental Steam Navigation Company have consequently given positive orders not 

 to supply a single ton to any foreign vessel-of-war, and consequently the Mississippi could 

 obtain only a limited supply from the Bengal government. 



The town of Galle is situated upon a peninsula, the inner curve of which forms the harbor. 

 Thick walls of considerable height enclose the town within a space of about fifteen acres. The 



• " To the zealous and energetic services of Messrs. Howland & Aspinwall, in the faithful fulfilment of their engagements 

 with the Navy Department, I am greatly indebted ; had it not been for their prompt and effectual agency, I should have found 

 myself seriously embarrassed in controllirg the movements of the steamers of ray command. The ample provision thus placed 

 at my disposal not only relieved me from care upon the score of fuel, without which side-wheel steamers are worse than useless, 

 but enabled me to exercise a most gratifying courtesy in furnishing to several foreign war steamers supplies of this essential 

 article, which could not be obtained at the time from any other source." — Extractfrom tke Commodore's Journal. 



