NARRATIVE 



OF THK 



UNITED STATES' EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 



CHAPTER I. 



MADEIRA. 



DEPARTURE PROM THE UNITED STATES VOYAGE TO MADEIRA ARRIVAL AT FUNCHAL APPEARANCE OF MADEIRA 

 FROM THE SEA LANDING AT FUNCHAL VISIT TO THE CIVIL AND MILITARY GOVERNORS STREETS, AND MODE 

 OF TRANSPORTATION CRIMINALS AND PRISONS VILLA OF CARVALHAL CONVENT HIDES IN MADEIRA CURRAL 

 EXCURSION TOWARDS THE EAST END OF THE ISLAND POPULATION OF MADEIRA WINE GOVERNMENT 

 CHARACTER OF THE INHABITANTS DRESS DWELLINGS MODE OF TRAVELLING EMPLOYMENTS OF THE PEOPLE 

 WINE-MAKING LOWER CLASSES ASCENT OF PICO RUIVO NATURAL HISTORY ftUINTA OF MR. BEAN DEPAR- 

 TURE FROM MADEIRA. 



THE command of the Exploring Expedition de- 

 volved upon me, by orders from the Hon. Mahlon 

 Dickerson, then secretary of the navy, on the 20th 

 of March, 1838. On my arrival at Norfolk, I 

 found every thing in a state of forwardness, and 

 the squadrons in Hampton Roads, whither they had 

 dropped down on the 8th of August. 



On the 17th of August I received my sailing 

 instructions*, and final orders to put to sea the 

 moment I was ready. The signal was accordingly 

 made that the squadron was under sailing orders, 

 and at 11 A.M. all hands were called to muster, 

 and divine service was performed. The day was 

 beautiful, the sea smooth, and the wind light. I 

 shall never forget the impressions that crowded on 

 me during that day in the hours of service. We 

 were admonished in the discourse to repose confi- 

 dence in the aid and protection of Him whom all 

 hands had been called to worship, and the admo- 

 nition was well calculated to do us good. 



Our squadron was composed of the following 

 vessels. The Vincennes, a sloop of war of 780 

 tons, originally single-decked, but in consequence 

 of the intended cruise, a light deck was put on her 

 for the protection of the men and to afford more 

 room. The accommodations thus became those of 

 a small frigate. 



The Peacock, a sloop of war of 650 tons, origi- 

 nally built with a deck like that of the Vincennes. 

 She had made two cruises previous to her sailing 

 in 1838. 



The Porpoise, a gun-brig of two-and-thirty tons; 

 the tender Sea-Gull of 110 tons; the tender Flying- 

 Fish of 96 tons ; and the Relief, a new vessel, ori- 

 ginally intended as a store-ship for the navy. She 

 was built for carrying, and her slow rate of sailing 

 made her ill adapted for the cruise. 



Dated llth August, 1838. See Appendix A. 



Orders were now given to rendezvous, in case of 

 .separation, at Madeira. It was soon found, in the 

 trial of the sailing qualities of the vessels, that the 

 Relief was unsuited to act with the rest without 

 great detention, and after four days I determined 

 to part company with her, giving her orders to 

 proceed to the Cape de Verdes. 



The novelty of our situation was quite enough 

 to interest all; free communications were had, and 

 endeavours were made to excite a general interest 

 in all the objects that were passing about us. It 

 was amusing to see all entering into the novel 

 occupation of dissecting the fish taken, and to hear 

 scientific names bandied about between Jack and 

 his shipmates. 



On the 25th of August our winds became favour- 

 able, and we were enabled to lay our course towards 

 Madeira. I continued to keep the direction of the 

 Gulf Stream towards the Western Islands. We 

 felt its influence until we reached the longitude of 

 48 W., and found it to set for the last few days 

 to the northward of east. The winds had been 

 light and the sea smooth, indicating no other im- 

 pulse than the flow of the stream. The tempera- 

 ture gradually decreased from 83 to 75. 



On the night of the 26th we parted company 

 with the Peacock and Flying-Fish in a squall, and 

 did not again meet them until we reached Madeira. 

 The 5th of September, being near the reported 

 shoal of St. Anne, I determined to pass over its 

 position. 



On the 6th we passed over it, the sea was 

 smooth, the horizon clear, and the day beautiful. 

 At 8 A.M. the look-out cried out, " Rocks or a 

 wreck on the starboard bow !" which at once 

 created an excitement on board. We stood for it. 

 It had at first every appearance of a rock, then 

 that of a wreck with the masts gone. It proved, 

 however, to be a large tree of cotton-wood, one 



B 



