210 Miscellanies. 



known. A map of the territory, embracing its rivers, sounds, harbors, 

 coasts, forts, &c., has been prepared, which will furnish the govern- 

 ment with a mass of valuable information relative to our possessions on 

 the northwest coast, and the whole of Oregon. 



Experiments were made with the pendulum on " Mouna Loa" on the 

 island of Hawaii, one of the Sandwich Islands, at a height of 14,000 feet 

 above the level of the sea. Topographical surveys and views were 

 made of some of its active and most extensive craters. 



Experiments have been made with the pendulum, magnetic appara- 

 tus, and various other instruments, on all occasions ; the temperature of 

 the ocean, at vaxious depths, ascertained in the different seas traversed, 

 and full meteorological and other observations kept during the cruise. 



Charts of all the surveys have been made, with views and sketches 

 of headlands, towns or villages, &c. with descriptions of all that apper- 

 tains to the localities, productions, language, customs, and manners. 



At some of the islands, this duty has been attended with much labor, 

 exposure, and risk of life — the treacherous character of the natives ren- 

 dering it absolutely necessary that the officers and men should be arm- 

 ed, while on duty, and at all times prepared against their murderous 

 attacks. On several occasions boats have been absent from the differ- 

 ent vessels of the squadron on surveying duty, (the greater portion of 

 which has been performed in boats,) among islands, reefs, &c. for a 

 period of ten, twenty, and thirty days at one time ; on one of these occa- 

 sions, two of the officers were killed at the Fiji group, while defending 

 their boat's crew from an attack by the natives. 



The scientific gentlemen have been actively engaged in their various 

 departments, and subject to all the exposures incident to researches 

 among dangerous and hostile savages. Mr. Hale, the philologist of the 

 expedition, was left at the Columbia river, for the purpose of prosecu- 

 ting his labors among the different tribes of the Oregon territory, and 

 may be expected home overland early in August. 



Several islands not laid down in the charts have been discovered, on 

 one of which the natives offered worship, evidently believing that their 

 visiters had come from the sun. 



The Sooloo sea has also been examined, several islands found to have 

 been erroneously laid down on the charts, and others not laid down at 

 all. Protective commercial regulations established with the Sultan of 

 Sooloo, and a correct chart made of a feasible and short route for pass- 

 ing through these seas towards China, against the northeast monsoon. 



Although the officers and crew of the expedition have been exposed 

 to every variety of climate, the general health of the squadron has been 

 without a precedent. But one officer (Mr. Vanderford, master's mate, 

 who died on the passage home) and only eight of the men, have died 

 from disease. 



