506 
THE LAST OF THE ‘^OLD JOHN.’* 
IIoiTij and the poor “ old John” was again being fitted 
for sea. She was to be sent up to Puget Sound to engage 
in warlike deeds against the Indians, and men were 
found to go in her: our warning had evidently been 
forgotten. Two weeks later I took up another paper: 
there was something more about the everlasting old 
coffin : she had become restive under strange hands and 
amused herself by blowing out the bottom of one of her 
boilers. Whether they succeeded in patching her up and 
reaching their destination in safety I am unable to say; 
but it is to be hoped that the undertaking was abandoned, 
and that she will be allowed to pass tlie remnant of her 
days in peace and quiet. And now, as I am about to 
leave her to that doubtful repose, I cannot but acknow- 
ledge a feeling of gratitude toward the shaky old bridge 
which “ canned us safely over,” in spite of the many 
anxious moments which she caused us during that rough 
and stormy cruise. Farewell to thy miserable but faith- 
ful old timbers ! 
Several months later a rusty and weather-beaten sloop- 
of-war anchored off the New York Navy-yard. It was 
the summer of 1856, and the vessel was the Yincennes. 
She brought home with her the remnant of our Expe- 
dition, and a vast amount of matter for the construction 
of charts, the advancement of science, and the enlighten- 
ment of the inquiring mind: she was the grand store- 
house in which had been stowed, from time to time, the 
dearly-bought work of the several vessels that liad com- 
posed the squadi'on. The cruise was at an end, and men 
returned to strange-looking homes, with bent frames that 
had been straight, and with whitened locks that had been 
