APPENDIX, 387 



XII. 



GENERAL ORDER. 



All the officers of the Exploring Expedition will be required to 

 conform to the rules and regulations of the service, by keeping a 

 journal during the cruise, which they will send to the commander of the 

 ship to which he may be attached, weekly. 



This journal will contain the daily reckoning, distances, bearings, 

 &c.j of the ship when at sea ; also, a full record (with such observa- 

 tions and remarks as may present themselves) in relation to all 

 occurrences or objects of interest, which may, at the time, be consi- 

 dered even of the least importance, and which may come under the 

 observation of the officers, whether on board ship or on shore, and may 

 tend to illustrate any transaction or occurrence which may take place, 

 or afford any information in regard to the manners, habits, or customs 

 of natives, and the position and characters of such places as may be 

 visited. The journals required by this order will be disposed of 

 agreeably to the directions of the Honourable Secretary of the Navy, 

 and it is expected that they will be as full and complete as possible. 



(Signed) Charles Wilkes, 



Commanding Exploring Expedition. 



U. S. Ship Vincennes, 



At Sea, September 13th, 1838. 



XIII. 



U. S. Ship Vincennes, 



At Sea, September 13th, 1838. 

 Sir, — 



As the officers may not understand the kind of journal it is necessary 

 for them to keep, I take this occasion to make known the expectations 

 of the government and my wishes respecting this part of their duty, 

 which I consider as paramount to all others. 



1st. The duties devolving upon all the officers of this Expedition are 

 altogether of a public nature, and it is incumbent on me to say, 

 require of them to bestow their constant and devoted attention to all 

 incidents, facts, or occurrences, which may present themselves, in 

 order that hereafter they may (if necessary) verify or confirm by their 

 testimony any information in relation to the same, and thereby place 

 the evidence beyond a doubt. This can only be effected by keeping 



