490 APPENDIX. 



U. S. Ship Vincennes, 



At Sea, January 31st, 1840. 



Sir, 



In answer to your letter, with the report of the medical officers 

 enclosed, requesting the opinion of the ward-room officers of this 

 ship, as to the expediency under the present circumstances of prose- 

 cuting our discoveries south at this time, I beg leave to state, that in 

 my opinion the report of all the medical officers of the ship, as to the 

 reduced condition of the crew, would be a sufficient reason for 

 putting back ; and, in addition, I would state other reasons which 

 occur to me. 



We have been almost surrounded with drift-ice and ice-islands for 

 the last twenty-three days, and coasting along the barrier of field-ice, 

 which has rendered it impossible to penetrate further south in this 

 vicinity : and, although gratifying it would be to land upon the 

 Antarctic Continent, I am not aware that any advantages to be 

 derived from it would be commensurate for the dangers it would be 

 necessary to incur ; and if the discovery of new land in these regions 

 is important, I consider it equally so that every precaution be taken 

 to communicate the same to others. 



Farther, in my opinion, the continuance of the severe gale which 

 we have encountered for the last five days, accompanied with sleet, 

 hail, and snow, and the necessity of keeping all hands on the watch, 

 owing to the thick weather, &c, and difficulty of navigating among 

 ice, makes it not only most dangerous, but, if necessary to be con- 

 tinued in, will render the watch officers and crew unfit for the 

 arduous duties now and hereafter required of them, at a time when 

 the ship and rigging are enveloped in ice. 



In fact, I am of opinion, that the future operations should not be 

 hazarded by encountering dangers and risks to be run, under all the 

 circumstances, greater than I have ever encountered in the course of 

 seven years' sea service. 



In expressing, however, finally and respectfully, my opinions, I 

 most cheerfully yield to those of more experience and skill, if they 

 do not concur with mine. 



I am, sir, very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 

 (Signed) R. R. Waldron, 



Purser, U. S. Navy. 



Charles Wilkes, Esq., 



Commanding Exploring Expedition. 



