/V 



VMd 



PREFACE 



It may be proper to observe, as affording some guarantee 

 for the correctness of the information contained in this 

 Volume, that it has been compiled from a Journal, or a Diary, 

 which the author kept in obedience to a " General Order" 

 from the Navy Department, and that the Journal in question 

 was frequently submitted to the Commander-in-Chief of 'the 

 Expedition for his inspection and perusal. 



The work will be found to embrace incidents occurring on 

 board the ship, Descriptions of ^Natural Scenery, Manners 

 and Customs, Government, Religion, and Commerce. 



By adopting a more diffusive style, I might have exceeded 

 my present limits ; instead of one such volume I might have 

 produced two or three, but the .general reader would have 

 gained nothing by this, his main object being to gather in- 

 formation, and the more succinctly it is conveyed to him the 

 more rapidly he will acquire it, and more easily retain it. In 

 short, I have endeavored to furnish a work which should have 

 the merit of being instructive and entertaining, concise and 

 cheap ; and I hope that the present volume will be found to 

 possess all these advantages. 



G. M. C. 



r-, = 



