HER MAJESTY'S SHIP SULPHUR. 3 



the dredge were neither numerous nor large. Some interesting birds were also added 

 to the collection. On the 27th September, the expedition left Sitka, and directed its 

 course to Nootka Sound, and afterwards to San Francisco, California, in 37° 47' 

 N. lat. 



An expedition was immediately planned for examining the extensive inland waters 

 communicating with the harbour of San Francisco. With this object, a flotilla of boats 

 started on the 26th October, and the writer accompanied the party in medical charge. 

 The river Sacramento was ascended a very considerable distance from the ship, through 

 a fine alluvial country. Four weeks were thus spent in the open boats, and such collec- 

 tions made as circumstances permitted, and which did not reach the Sulphur without 

 certain adventures and hair-breadth escapes. San Francisco and its neighbourhood 

 were in the mean time examined by those who remained with the ship. The vessel 

 finally left for the southward on the 30th November, making a short visit to Monterey, 

 and towards the end of December arrived again at San Bias. 



Acapulco, in 16° 51' N. lat., was subsequently visited, and some interesting 

 additions made to the collections. Thence the vessel proceeded south, ran along the 

 coast, crossing the gulf of Tehuantepec, and using the dredge whenever circumstances 

 permitted. Realejo was regained by the 4th February, 1838, and during the visit 

 an excursion to the Volcano Viejo produced some botanical additions. The coast below 

 was next rapidly examined, and on the 27th March we for a while bid farewell to this 

 part of America, our destination now being Callao ; and after a very long passage, only 

 broken by a rapid visit to Cocos Island, arrived at the anchorage on the 3d June. This 

 and the two following months were spent at Callao, or in the examination, of the coast 

 to the south, as far as Cerro Azul, and the former was not left before the close of 

 August. 



When the Sulphur quitted Callao it was to revisit many places previously embraced 

 within the voyage ; and though this did not bring new ground under our observation, it 

 yet enabled us to obtain many objects of interest which were not previously possessed. 

 By this time also, from the length of the voyage, and from our inadequate means of 

 preserving them, many of the objects kept in spirits required renewing; and from 

 similar causes a number of valuable things were from time to time lost. In the less 

 perishable portions of the collection we were more fortunate, as our knowledge of the 

 locality was found of practical service, and in the use of the dredge this is often very 

 desirable. Payta, Guayaquil, Panama, and Realejo were thus successively visited, and 



