INSTRUCTIONS. 



Navy Department, 

 August 11th, 1838. 

 Sir,— 



The Congress of the United States, having in view the important interests of 

 our commerce embarked in the whale-fisheries, and other adventures in the great 

 Southern Ocean, by an act of the 18th of May, 1836, authorized an Expedition 

 to be fitted out for the purpose of exploring and surveying that sea, as well to 

 determine the existence of all doubtful islands and shoals, as to discover and 

 accurately fix the position of those which lie in or near the track of our vessels 

 in that quarter, and may have escaped the observation of scientific navigators. 

 Liberal appropriations have been made for the attainment of these objects, and 

 the President, reposing great confidence in your courage, capacity, and zeal, has 

 appointed you to the command of the Expedition, requiring you to proceed to 

 the performance of the duties of that station with the vessels placed under your 

 orders, consisting of the sloops of war Vincennes and Peacock, the ship Relief, 

 the. brig Porpoise, and tenders Sea-Gull and Flying-Fish. 



As soon as these vessels are in every respect ready, you will accordingly 

 take your departure from Norfolk, and shape your course to Rfc) Janeiro, cross- 

 ing the line between longitude 18° and 22° W., and keeping within those meri- 

 dians to about latitude 10° S., with a view to determine the existence of certain 

 vigias or shoals laid down in the charts as doubtful, and whose position, should 

 they be found to exist, it is deemed useful to the interests of our commerce tc 

 ascertain. 



At Rio Janeiro, you will replenish your supplies, taking special care to 

 furnish yourself with a sufficiency of all those articles which are considered the 



VOL. I. 3* D (XXV) 



