396 United States Exploring Expedition. 



from the icy barrier in close proximity to the land, which are now 

 deposited in the National Gallery at the Patent Office. Two of 

 the masses, one of basalt and the other of compact red sandstone, 

 weigh each abont eighty pounds. Besides these, there are many 

 smaller specimens of gray and flesh-colored granite, gneiss, white 

 and red sandstone, basalt, and reddish clay or earth. The Pea- 

 cock was enclosed in the ice soon after reaching it, when pene- 

 trating towards an appearance of land ahead, and for twenty 

 hours they were barely hoping for life. They had obtained 

 soundings in 320 fathoms.* On the 24th of February, 1840, 

 the Vincennes left the ice, and by the 24th of April, all the ves- 

 sels were together at Tongatabu. During the Antarctic cruise, 

 the scientific gentlemen were occupied making observations and 

 collections in New Holland and New Zealand ; they joined the 

 squadron at the latter place. 



After delaying a day or two at Tongatabu, the squadron pro- 

 ceeded to the Feejees, where nearly four months were industri- 

 ously occupied in surveys and various scientific observations. 

 Thence they sailed for the Sandwich Islands, passing on the 

 way and surveying several small coral islands. The Vincennes 

 spent the winter at this group, and in the course of it, the pendu- 

 lum and other philosophical instruments were carried to the very 

 summit of Mauna Loa, an elevation of fourteen thousand feet. 

 Occasionally, at sunset, they observed the sublime spectacle of 

 the shadow of this mountain dome projected upon the eastern 

 skies. 



During the same time the Peacock and schooner Flying Fish 

 were cruising in the equatorial regions of the Pacific, visiting 

 and surveying numerous scattered coral islands, besides the Nav- 

 igator's and the Kingsmili group, and others of the Caroline 

 Archipelago. The Porpoise made charts of several of the Pau- 

 motu Islands not before surveyed, and touched again at Tahiti. 



* There has been much incredulity in the country with regard to the discovery 

 of this land, owing probably to mistaking the dispute with the French with regard 

 to priority of discovery, for a dispute with regard to discovery itself. The facts 

 here stated set the subject at rest. Within a few weeks, acknowledgments have 

 reached this country from the French expedition, yielding the priority to the 

 American expedition, and it will be so stated in their forthcoming publications. 

 The part of the line of land which Ross is said to have sailed over, was a discov- 

 ery claimed by Bellamy, and which Capt. Wilkes added to the chart he sent Capt. 

 Ross, with Bellamy's name accidentally omitted in copying. 



