OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 



xxvii 



instrument better calculated to bring up substances than the lead 

 usually employed for this purpose. 



And you are to understand, that although the rinding a passage 

 from the Atlantic to the Pacific is the main object of this Expedition, 

 and that the ascertaining the Northern boundary of the American 

 Continent is the next, yet that the different observations you may be 

 enabled to make, with regard to the magnetic influence, as well as such 

 other observations as you may have opportunities of making in Natu- 

 ral History, Geography, 8fc. in parts of the globe so little known, 

 must prove most valuable and interesting to science ; and we therefore 

 desire you to give your unremitting attention, and to call that of all the 

 Officers under your command, to these points, as being objects of the 

 highest importance. And you are to direct Mr. Fisher to be particu- 

 larly careful to keep an accurate register of all the observations that 

 shall be made, precisely in the same forms, and according to the same 

 arrangement, that were followed by Captain Sabine on the late voyage ; 

 •—into whose charge are also to be given the several chronometers with 

 which you have been supplied. 



And although, as already specified, you are not to be drawn aside 

 from the main object of the service on which you are employed, as long 

 as you may be enabled to make any progress, yet, whenever you may 

 be impeded by the ice, or find it necessary to approach the coasts of the 

 continent or islands, you are to cause views of bays, harbours, head- 

 lands, Sec. to be carefully taken, the better to illustrate the charts you 

 may make, and the places you may discover, on which duty you will be 

 more particularly assisted by Captain Lyon and Mr. Bushnan, Assistant 

 Surveyor. 



You are to make use of all the means in your power to collect and 



d 2 



