406 HONOLULU. 



On our way from the Feejees, various hints were thrown out that 

 the times of the crew had expired, and that they would not reship. 

 I understood their disposition, however, and had little apprehension 

 of their being led astray by those who were disposed to produce diffi- 

 culties among them. Their time, in their opinion, would expire on 

 the 1st of November ; in my mind this construction was at least 

 doubtful, the wording of the articles being, that " they shipped for 

 three years from the 1st of November, 1837, to return with the vessels 

 to a port of safety in the United States." The latter clause certainly 

 contemplated the possibility of the expiration of the time prior to their 

 return, and therefore the engagement was not limited to three years ; 

 nor did it allow of my discharging any of them by paying them off in 

 full, or of my crippling or retarding the duties of the Expedition. 

 Many of the men spoke very sensibly on the subject, and expressed a 

 desire to finish the cruise, which they would be glad to do by re- 

 shipping, a course by which they would become entitled to one-fourth 

 more pay ; others again seemed desirous of producing discord, in 

 which they were encouraged by the imprudent language of a few of 

 the officers, whether with the intention of producing discontent, I 

 know not. This indiscretion, however, was promptly arrested on its 

 becoming known to me. 



As I was obliged to make a deviation from the original cruise 

 pointed out in my instructions, which would extend its duration, I 

 thought it but just that new articles should be opened; and in order 

 that all should be placed on an equal footing, I included the crew of 

 the Porpoise, as well as all those who had joined the squadron pre- 

 vious to our last southern cruise. A large majority of the crew 

 re-entered for eighteen months, on doing which they received three 

 months' pay and a week's liberty. The few who declined told me 

 that it was not from any dislike they had to the ship or service, but 

 having families at home, they wished to avoid a longer separation 

 from them. About fifteen of them took passage in vessels that were 

 bound to the United States. 



The character of sailors was oddly exhibited on this occasion ; the 

 man who, before arriving, had protested most strenuously that he 

 would not reship, was the first to place his name on the roll, as I had 

 predicted he would be ; their conduct caused much amusement, and 

 showed how little sailors know their own minds. Captain Hudson 

 addi-essed his crew, confidently expecting that every man would 

 volunteer to reship, and on his desiring all to pass to the other side 



