INTRODUCTION. 



xvii 



of the River Plata, to Chiloe; on the west coast of 

 America ; in such manner and order, as the state 

 of the season, the information you may have re- 

 ceived, or other circumstances, may induce you to 

 adopt. 



You are to continue on this service until it shall 

 be completed ; taking every opportunity to commu- 

 nicate to our Secretary, and the Commander-in- 

 Chief, your proceedings : and also, whenever you 

 may be able to form any judgment of it, where the 

 Commander-in-Chief, or our Secretary, may be able 

 to communicate with you. 



In addition to any arrangements made with the 

 Admiral, for recruiting your stores, and provisions ; 

 you are, of course, at liberty to take all other means, 

 which may be within your reach, for that essential 

 purpose. 



You are to avail yourself of every opportunity 

 of collecting and preserving Specimens of such 

 objects of Natural History as may be new, rare, or 

 interesting ; and you are to instruct Captain Stokes, 

 and all the other Officers, to use their best diligence 

 in increasing the Collections in each ship : the 

 whole of which must be understood to belong to 

 the Public. 



In the event of any irreparable accident happen- 

 ing to either of the two vessels, you are to cause 

 the officers and crew of the disabled vessel to be 



b 



