CHARLES WILKES 
219 
mander, and of the condition of the crews may be 
obtained from the following conspectus of the official 
list of officers and men taking part in the expedition. 
There were altogether 83 officers and 12 members 
of the civilian staff including men of science and art- 
ists. In addition to these the five ships sailed with a 
total crew of 345 men of whom only 221 returned to 
the United States with the expedition or were sent 
home on vessels of the United States. Of the remain- 
der 62 were discharged abroad, 47 deserted at various 
ports and 15 died or were lost in the Sea Gull. To 
take the place of the losses 240 men were engaged at 
various ports and of these 80 deserted, 8 died, 26 were 
discharged and 126 were brought back to the United 
States so that the number at the end of the long voyage 
was practically the same as at the beginning. That 
there were 127 desertions out of 585 men engaged, or 
22 per cent, of the ships’ companies, shows the service 
to have been far from popular. Many of the officers 
also were not devoted to their commander and some of 
them were almost openly antagonistic to him. 
Captain Wilkes pointed out before sailing that his 
requisitions for many necessary stores had been totally 
disregarded by the Navy Department, and that the ves- 
sels had not been properly inspected or repaired before 
being sent out. The alternatives before him were ex- 
tremely difficult, either to resign, as the commanders 
previously designated had done, to delay the expedi- 
tion until the ships were properly overhauled and 
equipped and thereby further exasperate public opinion 
and increase the discontent of the crews, or finally to 
sail and take the great and unnecessary risks put 
upon him, in order to save the honour of his country. 
