34 EXPEDITION TO POINT 15AUUOW, ALASKA. 



if not better, letermined than that of Plo\er J5ay, 1 decided not to go to (lie latter place, but to 

 proceed direct to I 'nalaska and there make an etl'ort to repair the vessel, as 1 \vas told that them 

 was sttllieient tide at that place to enable us to get at her bottom by discharging her cargo and 

 placing her on the beach at high tide and working on her during low water: so as soon as we were 

 clear of the Yukon Hats she was put on her course for that place. The wind increased to a heavy 

 pale from the northwest o;i the loth, and we made excellent time as we weie running nearly before, 

 it. During the night of the IGth, the vessel was hove to to wait for daylight, as we knew we were 

 near land, and on the morning of the 17th we sighted the island of Unalaska to the south aii.l 

 about twenty miles away; the wind had fallen so light daring the night we were able to make but 

 little headway and did not get into the harbor and at anchor until JO o'clock that night. 



We found the United States steamer Corwiu and the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer 

 Dora at anchor here, the former on her return from Kotzebue Sound and the. latter on her annual 

 voyage to the Aleutian Island Stations. The wind not being favorable to sail into the inner harbor. 

 which was the only place where the vessel could be safely beached, I made application to Captain 

 Mealy, commanding the Corwiu, for the assistance of the cutter to tow the Leo in . he very readily 

 complied with the request, and at once got up steam, and at 1 1 a. in. placed the Leo at the company's 

 wharf, where the bulk of her cargo was discharged; owing to a severe wind storm prevailing at 

 this time we were unable to haul her up until the afternoon of the, 20th, when sin- was beached at 

 Ligh tide; we improved the time in getting observations of the sun, and determining the declina- 

 tion of the needle. We were unable to get at the leak on the first ebb, but on the 21st the water 

 fell sufficiently low to enable the workmen to repair the damage, which was found to be about four 

 feet below her water line, where a butt had been started, and the water was so clear that we could 

 see that she had sustained no damage below that point, and we were pleased to find upon floating 

 her off on the next high tide that the leak was entirely stopped. 



Such stores as had not been disposed of were re embarked on the 22d and the vessel warped 

 out to her anchorage ready for sailing. The 23d was too stormy to admit of our uoing to sea. but 

 the wind having abated slightly toward night, I directed the captain to get under way on the 

 morning of the 24th, which was done at 8 a. in., being towed outside the heads by the Corwin, 

 whose services had again been kindly placed at our disposal by Captain Mealy. We found the 

 wind blowing strong from the northwest when we got outside, and a very heavy sea i mining : we 

 parted company with the Corwin as soon as we passed the capes by the breaking of our tow-line, 

 and the Leo was at once headed for the pass of Akoutan, through which we* passed out into the 

 Pacific at 12 in. From this time the wind continued fair during the whole of the voyage across 

 the North Pacific. We followed nearly in the track of the great circle route, and made such 

 remarkably good time that the Farallo'.ies were sighted at '! p. in. 



On October fi the wind fell as we ran in toward land, and we drifted through the Golden Gate 

 in a dead calm that night at 12 o'clock, coining to anchor off the Presidio at 2 a. m. October 7. and 

 reporting to the Chief Signal Oflicer by telegraph the same day. 



The object for which the expedition was organized being accomplished, it was formally dis- 

 banded October l;"i; its work having extended through a period of over twenty-seven months, 

 dm i- h time fhe expedition had sailed over 7.500 miles, had established and maintained itself 



Jit.the northern . of this continent in latitude 71 Hi' north, and successfully carried out 



the instinct ions received from the Chief Signal Ofliccr, and brought back the record of an unbroken 

 series of hourly < imis in meteorology, magnetism, tides, and earth temperatures, besides a 



large collection in natural history and ethnology, and penetrated into the interior toa point never 

 before vi.-.ited by eivili/.cd man. 



During 1 fhe, whole j.vriod all the membeis of the expedition enjoyed excellent health, not having 

 a single man on the sick report for two years. 



ndividual members of the expedition*who returned with it io the Tinted Slates great 

 credit i-; due for their obedience to orders, faithfulness, and intelligence in performance of their 

 duties, and for their patient endurance of the many trials they were called upon to sutler: for the 



in these high latitudes is one of patient endurance on the part of 



Ihe !. as he i, % within narrow limits, without the excitement incident to travel. 



The unvaymg monofom of : ; s necessarily very wealing, but during the whole time no 



imirimir or complaint was ever heard. 



