INTRODUCTION. xv 
only new one added was the Horticulturist and Assistant-Botanist, 
Mr. Brackenridge. 
After the 20th of April, every exertion was made to forward the 
various outfits. By the 7th July, the Vincennes and Peacock were 
taken charge of, and dropped down between the forts at Norfolk, 
and it was determined that the Squadron should rendezvous in Hamp- 
ton Roads. On the following day, the seamen were transferred from 
the Macedonian, which had been the flag-ship under the original 
organization. I felt some solicitude about the crews. They had been 
a long time shipped, and had manifested their discontent in a letter 
addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, in which they objected to 
being transferred to a younger and new set of officers. The plan I 
adopted was at once to send them on shore on liberty, and thus show 
entire confidence in them. To my great surprise, they returned, to a 
man, showing that no disposition adverse to the service existed among 
them, and that the bad feeling was nothing more than what might 
naturally be expected to result from a long confinement on board of a 
ship, in sight of their homes, and the constant disappointment they 
had met with in a delayed departure. From this circumstance, and 
the prospect of no further detention, their spirits revived, and great 
activity prevailed in all the departments to forward the preparations. 
All the instruments had been brought from New York in the Mace- 
donian, under care of Lieutenant Carr. Part of them, including the 
Chronometers, had been landed at the Naval Asylum, where a 
Portable Transit had been put up, for rating them. The instruments 
appertaining to Magnetism and the Pendulums were carried to Wash- 
ington, to make the necessary experiments. 
The depot of charts and instruments on Capitol Hill, was selected 
to make the series of observations at. These occupied my own time 
until sailing. 
On the 26th of July, Martin Van Buren, the President of the United 
States, accompanied by Mr. Paulding, Secretary of the Navy, and 
Mr. Poinsett, Secretary of War, did us the honour to visit the Vin- 
cennes. On this occasion, and the only one during the continuance of 
my command, a salute was fired, (none of the instruments had then 
