APPENDIX. 
42? 
Mr. Peale has been fortunate enough to obtain as specimens, some 
new and rare Antarctic birds. 
The officers and crew have enjoyed excellent health, been prompt 
and efficient in the performance of their respective duties ; and for 
their cordial co-operation and aid in carrying out my views, deserve 
my warmest thanks, and I beg you will officially say so in your 
report to the Honourable Secretary of the Navy. I herewith enclose 
you Lieutenant Walker's report, who certainly deserves, with his 
officers and men, great credit for his perseverance. 
I have drawn up this report in great haste, for the purpose of 
despatching the Flying-Fish to you, with the earliest intelligence, 
and shall proceed direct to Valparaiso, to carry out your instructions 
there. 
Very respectfully, 
(Signed) Wm. L. Hudson, 
Commanding U. S, Ship Peacock. 
Captain Charles Wilkes, 
Commanding Exploring Expedition. 
U. S. Schooner Flying-Fish, 
At Sea, March 26th, 1839. 
Sir, 
In obedience to your order of to-day, I have the honour to report, 
that after separating from you on the evening of the 26th ultimo, we 
hove-to under a reefed foresail until near meridian the next day, 
when the gale moderating, we kept off the wind, with the hope of 
again falling in with you ; and on the evening of the next day made 
a large sail to the northward of us, standing to the westward ; we 
immediately gave chase, but on coming up, made her out to be a 
British merchantman. 
We then stood to the westward for our first rendezvous, with strong 
gales from about south-southwest to west-by-north, accompanied by 
a very large sea, — vessel labouring much, decks and ways becoming 
leaky, but sustained no material damage until the 5th March, when 
our jib was badly split. 
On the 7th we reached our first rendezvous, and whilst lying-to 
there in a heavy gale, our decks were frequently swept by the sea, 
and boats crushed ; on the night of the same, the sea boarded us, 
ripped off the companion-slide, washed the larboard binnacle from 
