INTRODUCTION. XVil 
of the River Plata, to Chilée; on the west coast of 
America; in such manner and order, as the state 
of the season, the information you may have re- 
ceived, or other circumstances, may induce you to 
adopt. 
«¢ You are to continue on this service until it shall 
be completed; taking every opportunity to commu- 
nicate to our Secretary, and the Commander-in- 
Chief, your proceedings: and also, whenever you 
may be able to form any judgment of it, where the 
Commander-in-Chief, or our Secretary, may be able 
to communicate with you. 
‘“‘ In addition to any arrangements made with the 
Admiral, for recruiting your stores, and provisions; 
you are, of course, at liberty to take all other means, 
which may be within your reach, for that essential 
purpose. 
** You are to avail yourself of every opportunity 
of collecting and preserving Specimens of such 
objects of Natural History as may be new, rare, or 
interesting ; and you are to instruct Captain Stokes, 
and all the other Officers, to use their best diligence 
in increasing the Collections in each ship: the 
whole of which must be understood to belong to 
the Public. . 
«In the event of any irreparable accident happen- 
ing to either of the two vessels, you are to cause 
the officers and crew of the disabled vessel to be 
b 
