HIS THREE CRUISES 13 



shot, and put them in the racks where I could see them 

 as I walked the deck. That with so much perseverance 

 I should have failed in my prime object, I attribute to the 

 want of books and proper teachers in the navy". It was 

 this seriousness of purpose and industry that caused 

 Maury soon to become well known among his shipmates 

 for his scholarship, and the story is told that even on this 

 first cruise a certain mathematical problem was passed 

 from steerage to wardroom without solution until he 

 solved it. 



After making a short visit to his home in Tennessee, 

 Maury set sail on June 10, 1826 from Norfolk on the 

 frigate Macedonian to which he had been ordered for 

 temporary duty. This ship was bound for Rio Janeiro 

 where she arrived after a passage of sixty-two days. 

 After cruising in Brazilian waters for awhile, the frigate 

 went on down the coast to Montevideo. At this time a 

 war was raging between Brazil and Argentina over Banda 

 Oriental, or Uruguay, which had been a sort of political 

 football between the two countries until 1821, when it 

 was partly subdued by Brazil. In 1825, however, it 

 rose against this empire, and after a long struggle of three 

 years it succeeded in having its independence recognized 

 by the treaty of Rio Janeiro, on August 27, 1828. This 

 state of affairs constituted the principal reason why 

 American ships of war were sent to those waters. Thus 

 was Maury brought into touch with history in the mak- 

 ing, and the letters which he wrote at this time show an 

 alert interest in what he was observing and display as 

 well an unusual ability in recording experiences and his 

 impressions of the people. 



His name was still carried on the muster and pay rolls 

 of the Brandywine; but that ship did not depart for 



