xxii INTRODUCTION. 
inspired by a strong interest in its success, and intelligence of a 
higher character than is called into action in the ordinary routine of 
the duty of an officer. Deficiency in either quality, was to oppose an 
obstacle to the success of the enterprise; in a word, we were placed in 
circumstances, in which it became necessary for us to perform more 
than our ordinary duties. Those who felt and appreciated our situation, 
are entitled to the highest praise; while some apology may be made 
for others, who, perhaps, were unconscious of any failure in discipline, 
or actual dereliction of duty, and may have thought that they had 
cause to be aggrieved, when they found that I was not satisfied with 
the maimer in which their services were rendered ; yet, it was as 
incumbent on me to see that our work was not retarded by their 
want of zeal and knowledge, as to shorten sail on the approach of the 
tempest. 
The instruments I was supplied with, were procured by myself in 
Europe ; they were made by the best English, French, and German 
artists. A description of these will be given in the volume on 
Physics. 
The longitudes of our principal stations have been determined by 
series of moon culminating stars, and meridian distances have been 
measured from them to other points by chronometers. 
The latitudes of the important places were obtained by a number 
of sets of circum-meridian observations of sun and stars. 
The chronometers used were by the best English makers, and most 
of them performed very satisfactorily. But two out of the twenty- 
nine became defective, and stopped ; these will be more particularly 
noticed hereafter, in the volume pertaining to this subject. To it I 
must also refer for the manner in which our surveys were executed. 
The magnetical instruments were by both English and French 
makers. Results have been had throughout the cruise, and will 
serve to give a magnetic chart of the world ; these will be published 
in the volume on Physics. Those observations of more immediate 
interest in the high southern latitudes, will be embraced in these 
volumes. 
In the Appendix will be found all the official documents relating to 
