EXPEDITION'S SCIENTIFIC CORPS 



To assure the successful attainment of scientific data, sever- 

 al prominent scientists were selected to accompany the Ex- 

 pedition, among whom were William Rich, a botanist; 

 William D. Brackenridge, a horticulturist; and Charles Pick- 

 ering, a naturalist. As the Expedition unfolded, William Rich, 

 as Captain Wilkes soon discovered, had a "gentlemanly and 

 quiet demeanor," but was "illy qualified" for the task at 

 hand. 7 Conversely, William Brackenridge, while not well 

 versed in the technical forms of descriptive plant taxonomy 

 or Latin, was considered an excellent field botanist. Among 

 other accomplishments, he is credited with discovering the 

 California pitcher plant, Darlingtonia californica, the "most 

 notable American plant found by the Expedition." 8 



ANYTHING BUT SMOOTH SAILING 



The Wilkes Expedition was one of the most far-reaching 

 terrestrial explorations in our Nation's history and certainly 

 one of its most important. It was not, however, devoid of 

 problems. Charles Wilkes was under no illusions as to the 

 condition of the ships assigned him. All of them were "ill- 

 equipped for making such a voyage and their crews were 

 quite restive." 9 Before the Expedition was over, two ships 

 were lost: one during the first year off Cape Horn with its 



7 Morgan, Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, p. 382. For 

 background on the members of the Scientific Corps see Ibid., pp. 381-382. 



8 Bartlett, Reports of the Wilkes Expedition, p. 682. At the outset, 

 renowned botanist Asa Gray was chosen as head botanist for the 

 Expedition, but he was to resign before the Expedition ever got under 

 way. Instead, during the lengthy delay in the Expedition's departure 

 following his selection, Gray accepted an appointment as Professor of 

 Natural History at the newly chartered University of Michigan. For 

 biographical information on Brackenridge see Bartlett, Reports of the 

 Wilkes Expedition, pp. 675-676. 



9 Bryan, The Wilkes Expedition, p. 1453. See also Bryan, Purpose, Equip- 

 ment and Personnel of the Wilkes Expedition, pp. 554-556; James D. 

 Hill, Charles Wilkes— Turbulent Scholar of the Old Navy, United States 

 Naval Institute Proceedings, v. 57, July 1931, p. 868; Morgan, 

 Autobiography of Charles Wilkes, pp. 385-388; and W. Patrick Strauss, 

 Preparing the Wilkes Expedition: A Study in Disorganization, Pacific 

 Historical Review, v. 28, August 1959, pp. 221-232. 



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