212 CHILI. 
On the 17th of May, the United States ship Falmouth, Captain 
M'Keever, arrived from Callao, and it is with much satisfaction and 
pleasure I refer to my meeting and acquaintance with this officer, 
whose liberal views, and the aid rendered the Expedition, were of 
essential service in forwarding our duties. The manner in which 
the aid was given, rendered it doubly welcome. 
As before mentioned, the Flying-Fish arrived on the 19th, having 
left Orange Harbour on the 28th of April, in company with the 
Sea-Gull. At midnight, the Sea-Gull was last seen. Shortly after- 
wards, it began to blow in strong squalls, and rapidly increased to a 
gale ; by half-past eight of the 29th, it was "blowing furiously." At 
one o'clock, False Cape Horn was made under the lee, when Passed 
Midshipman Knox determined to run for a harbour. At 4 p. m. they 
anchored under the south point of Scapenham Bay, where they 
dragged their anchors, and were obliged to remove to Orange Bay. 
There they anchored, and rode out the remainder of the gale* which 
lasted with violence until the morning of the 1st of May, on which 
day they again took their departure, and shortly afterwards fell in 
with a whaler, who seemed not a little surprised to find a New York 
pilot-boat off the Cape, and to have an interrogatory put to him, to 
know if he wanted a Cape pilot, 
Although I felt some uneasiness about the Sea-Gull, I did not 
apprehend that she had met with accident. The time that has since 
elapsed, and the careful search that was made, leaves no doubt of her 
loss, and a strong belief that all on board perished in that gale. 
Nothing since that time has been heard of her. How, or in what 
way, disaster happened to her, it is impossible to conjecture. I had 
the greatest confidence in the officers who had charge of her; they 
were both well acquainted with the management of the vessel. Their 
loss, and that of the vessel, were a great disadvantage to the Expedi- 
tion, which was felt by me during the remainder of the cruise, these 
vessels being well calculated for the southern seas, particularly in the 
low latitudes, though much exposed in boisterous weather. 
They were principally intended to be engaged with the boats in 
surveying operations, and were well adapted to that service. 
Messrs. Reid and Bacon were among the most promising young 
officers in the squadron, and I was extremely well satisfied with the 
performance of their duty in the vessel. The crew consisted of 
fifteen persons. 
Passed Midshipman James W. E. Reid was the son of the late 
