THE NARRATIVE OF CHARLES WILKES. 415 
made, both standing to the northward; the brig hauled up to the 
north-west, intending to cut them off and speak them, supposing them 
to be the Vincennes and the Peacock; shortly afterwards they were seen 
to be strangers, being smaller ships than our own; at 4.30 the Porpoise 
hoisted her colours. Knowing that an English squadron under Captain 
Ross was expected in these seas, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold 
took them for his ships, and was, ag he says, “ preparing to cheer the 
discoverer of the North Magnetic Pole.” 
“At 4.50, being within a mile and a half, the strangers showed 
French colours; the leeward and sternmost displayed a broad pennant; 
concluded now that they must be the French discovery ships under 
Captain D’Urville,* on a similar service with ourselves: desirous of 
speaking and exchanging the usual and customary compliments inci- 
dental to naval life, I closed with the strangers, desiring to pass within 
hail under the flag-ship’s stern. While gaining fast, and being within 
musket-shot, my intentions too evident to excite a doubt, so far from any 
reciprocity being evinced, I saw with surprise sail making by boarding 
the main tack on board the flag-ship. Without a moment’s delay, I 
hauled down my colours and bore-up on my course before the wind.” 
It is with regret that I mention the above transaction, and it cannot 
but excite the surprise of all that such a cold repulse should have come 
from a French commander, when the officers of that nation are usually 
so distinguished for their politeness and attention. It was with no 
small excitement I heard the report of it—that the vessels of two 
friendly powers, alike engaged upon an arduous and hazardous service 
in so remote a region, surrounded with every danger navigators could 
be liable to, should meet and pass without even the exchange of common 
civilities, and exhibit none of the kind feelings that the situation would 
naturally awaken :—how could the French commander know that the 
brig was not in distress or in want of assistance? By refusing to allow 
any communication with him, he not only committed a wanton violation 
of all proper feeling, but a breach of the courtesy due from one nation 
to another. It is difficult to imagine what could have prompted him to 
such a course. 
At 6 p.m. the weather again was thick, with the wind south-easterly ; 
field-ice again in sight; it commenced snowing, and the French ships 
were lost sight of. At 8 p.m. they passed in sight of large fields of 
ice and ice-islands ; at 10.30, the snow falling so dense and the weather 
so thick that it was impossible to see the brig’s length in any direction, 
she was hove-to, to await a change of weather. 
The beginning of the 31st the gale continued; at 7 a.m., moderating, 
they again made sail to the westward; in half an hour discovered a 
high barrier of ice to the northward, with ice-islands to the southward ; 
at 10 a.m. they found themselves in a great inlet formed by vast fields 
* See Dumont D'Urville’s account on page 457. 
