WE LOSE A VALUABLE OFFICER. 
167 
will of his well-balaaced brain, had now rested after the 
labours of their perilous cruise, had not some insur- 
mountable danger crossed their path, against which all 
human precautions were of no avail. Peace — eternal 
peace — be to the glorious manes of those who share her 
unknown grave, and to those mourning friends whose 
dearest hopes, whose fond longings for an earthly re- 
union, are blighted by the withering evidence of time’s 
onward roll ! There is no more room for hope. 
We were now’ once more in IIong-Kong, — the Vin- 
cennes, ourselves, and the Cooper. Further changes 
soon began to be talked of as to the officering of the 
different vessels, — the result of the wasting hand of 
disease, which was by this time thinning our ranks. We 
had buried Lieutenant Hunter in the vast burial-ground 
of Fou-chow-fou, and now Acting-master R, R. Carter, 
of the Vincennes, was lying dangerously ill at the 
house of a friend on shore. He was partially restored 
to health after a protracted illness, and finally succeeded 
in reaching his Virginia home ; but he never again did 
any duty in the Expedition, nor will he, I fear, ever 
regain his former strength. After the loss of the Por- 
poise, the detachment of this accomplished officer was 
the greatest misfortune that the Expedition experienced. 
This vacancy on board the flag-ship caused Lieu- 
tenant Russell to be ordered to fill it; and Lieutenant 
McCullom, having grown tired of keeping guard off Can- 
tou, in the Kennedy, was induced to join the Hancock in 
his place. He was my senior officer, and as such un- 
willingly relieved me of the combined duties of first 
lieutenant, boatsw'uin, and gunner of a shaky old steamer 
