220 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
He chose the last as the least objectionable course, and 
he found it hard enough. 
The squadron was hastily got ready for sea and 
sailed on the date Wilkes had fixed shortly after his 
appointment, August 18th, 1838. The ships were as 
follows : 
The Vincennes was a sloop-of-war of 780 tons, orig- 
inally single-decked, but for the purpose of the cruise 
a light upper deck was added thus increasing her ac- 
commodation to that of a small frigate. This was the 
flag-ship of the squadron under the command of Lieu- 
tenant Wilkes. In addition to her officers she carried 
six of the civilian scientific staff. 
The Peacock was a sloop-of-war of 650 tons, built 
ten years before and provided with an extra deck like 
the Vincennes. She had been so carelessly overhauled 
and so little prepared for a voyage involving exceptional 
risks that Lieutenant William L. Hudson, who com- 
manded her, reported officially a month after sailing: 
laken as a whole, the Peacock has been fitted out 
(so far as the navy-yard was concerned) with less regard 
to safety and convenience than any vessel I ever had 
anything to do with . 1 She carried four of the civilian 
staff, including James D. Dana, the mineralogist. It 
creates no surprise that she did not complete the voyage ; 
she was wrecked on July 18, 1841, though fortunately 
without loss of life. 
The Porpoise, a gun-brig of 230 tons, had been 
specially fitted with a forecastle and poop-deck for the 
voyage. She was under the command of Lieutenant Cad- 
walader Ringgold. 
The Sea Gull was an old New York pilot-boat of no 
tons, and served as a tender under the command of 
