AMERICA'S FIRST POLAR EXPEDITION 



Captain Fanning and other seafaring men that Captain 

 Jones's barques were being constructed upon absurd 

 models — not only did he have these letters to answer, but 

 he had also to deal with the humors of the commander of 

 the expedition. 



The first of these humors was a source of some delay, 

 and a great deal of public gossip. It was developed in the 

 last month of 1836, when the vessels had been launched, 

 and were waiting for their complement — enlistment, alas, 

 was not proceeding as rapidly as Captain Jones had hoped. 

 The officers were yet to be named. From the beginning, 

 before Captain Jones himself had been put in command, 

 Mr. Dickerson had intended that Lieutenant Alexander 

 Slidell, the well-known author of the " Life of Decatur " 

 and of other works, should have a vessel, and should write 

 the history of the enterprise; and that Lieutenant Charles 

 Wilkes, who had made excellent astronomical observa- 

 tions, should have another vessel. Slidell afterwards 

 changed his name to Mackenzie, and to-day is better known 

 as the commander of the Somers during the mutiny than as 

 a writer. Mr. Dickerson had consulted these officers upon 

 the subject, and of course rumors of his intention had got 

 abroad; and perhaps this is a good place to note that every 

 word of news concerning this expedition did get abroad. 



The rumor came to the ears of Captain Jones, and ap- 

 parently excited him greatly, for his letters came thick and 

 fast. He began with criticisms of Slidell and Wilkes, as 

 "inferior officers," but presently betrayed his inner thought. 

 Slidell had been consulted with regard to the plans of the 

 expedition " zvhilc all was silence," exclaimed Captain Jones, 

 " towards me. What," he went on to ask, " What ought to 

 have been my mortification to find myself called as a com- 

 mander, to carry into effect the plans or views of my 

 juniors, who are to hold conspicuous stations nominally under 

 me, who if they are mortal men will surely view me as a 

 rival. One of them is to be historian by authority, to give 

 his own version of my acts and doings! If belles-lettres 

 attainments are paramount to all other qualifications in Com- 

 manders for the Exploring Expedition, why not draw on the 

 nation's best resources in that line? Why pass by Irving, 

 Cooper, Paulding? " 



377 



