242 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
“ I have seldom seen so many happy faces,” says 
Wilkes, “or such rejoicings as the announcement of 
my intention to return produced. But although the crew 
were delighted at the termination of this dangerous 
cruise, not a word of impatience or discontent had been 
heard during its continuance.” 
The health of the crew was better than when they first 
reached the ice, but the labour and anxiety had told 
heavily on Wilkes himself though he was always able 
to attend to his duties. 
On March 1st the Vincennes reached the latitude of 
Royal Company Island and ran for eight degrees of 
longitude along the parallel but without seeing any indi- 
cation of land. The wind proving unfavourable for 
reaching Hobart Town, Wilkes set his course for Port 
Jackson, and on the nth he passed between the Heads 
and dropped anchor in Farm Cove, Sydney Harbour, 
the crew being in better condition than when they had 
sailed. The Peacock was found in Mossman’s Cove 
undergoing her necessary repairs, but there was no news 
of the Porpoise or Flying Fish, which were not met 
until March 30th in the appointed rendezvous, the Bay of 
Islands, New Zealand. 
The Porpoise, it will be remembered, was lost sight of 
by the Vincennes on January 27th in 65° 41' S. and 142 0 
31' E. Lieutenant Ringgold had formed the mistaken 
idea that the prevailing wind in those latitudes was 
westerly, and as it was blowing fresh from the east he 
thought it would save time to run straight to his western 
limit in 105 0 E., and then in more favourable circum- 
stances examine the barrier minutely as he returned. 
He accordingly, after a couple of days in the ice during 
the heavy gale that had so severely tried the Peacock, 
