LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



and Herman Melville had written of his adventurous ex- 

 periences in the Marquesas, Omoo, and Typee, as early 

 as 1841. Already the statesmen of England, France, 

 Russia, and the United States were aware of the commer- 

 cial and strategic importance of the lands newly discov- 

 ered between America and Asia, and they were watching 

 each other's proceedings with anxious and jealous eyes. 

 The opening of Japan to European civilization was 

 absolutely unforeseen. Nobody in his wildest dreams 

 imagined that before the end of the century Pago-Pago 

 would be a naval rendezvous for the American navy, 

 that Hawaii would be annexed to the United States, 

 and that the flag of the Union would float victoriously 

 in the Philippines and Ladrones. 



About a year before the embarkation, the anticipated 

 distribution of scientific work was thus reported by Dana 

 to Herrick (Philadelphia, August, 1837): 



' The zoologists have had some difficulties in settling 

 their different departments among themselves, but the 

 disputes on this subject are now about brought to a 

 close. It has been decided that entomology, arachnol- 

 ogy, and crustaceology go to Mr. Randall of Boston, 

 who is a young man, not more than twenty-two or 

 twenty-three years of age, scarcely bearded, but I be- 

 lieve a good entomologist. The Entomostraca and 

 Hydrachnella I have been requested to attend to, and 

 probably I shall take them under my charge. Mr. 

 Couthouy of Boston takes the subjects conchology and 

 actinology ; Dr. Coates of this place, comparative anatomy 

 and entozoa; Mr. Peale, ornithology; Mr. Pickering, 

 ichthyology ; and Peale and Pickering, mammalogy. 

 Dr. Eights of Albany will take the organic remains, 

 which I resigned, as it seemed to meet with his wishes, 

 and to be desired by the corps. Dr. Gray, you know, 

 is botanist; Hale, philologist; Darly, portrait-painter; 

 Dray ton, draughtsman." 



As late as July, 1838, uncertainty rested on the organi- 



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