HONOLULU 385 
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 
addressed his crew, confidently expecting that every man would 
volunteer to reship, and on his desiring all to pass to the other side 
who did not wish to reship, the whole crew passed over; yet within 
eight-and-forty hours they had all re-entered, with the exception of 
three or four, who held out for a time, to show, as they said, their 
independence. 
It now became necessary to supply the places of those who had left 
the squadron, and thus to complete our effective complement. Instead, 
however, of resorting to picking up the worthless, dissipated, and worn- 
out vagabonds of all nations, who have been wandering from island to 
VOL. III. 2H 49 
