Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/146

 CHAPTER VIII.

The following will be read, I am sure, with much interest by every American. It is the address of the President of the Geographical Society of London.

Gentlemen: You have just heard the announcement that the council has awarded the Founder’s medal to Captain Wilkes of the United States Navy, for the zeal and intelligence with which he carried out  the Scientific Exploring Expedition intrusted to him by the Government of the United States in the years 1838 and 1842, and for  the volumes which he has published, detailing the narrative of that  expedition. It therefore becomes my duty to endeavor to give you some account of the performances of the gallant officer, and of the  services which he has rendered to the progress of geography. It must be remembered that this was the first expedition ever fitted  out by the Government of the United States for scientific purposes. Greater difficulties must therefore be supposed to have attended its organization than would have been the case with more experience. On the other hand, merit of the success is proportionately increased.

The expedition left Hampton Roads on the 17th of August, 1838, and its first scientific operation was the establishment of an observatory at Orange Harbor, in Terra del Fuego. Here some of the vessels remained, while others detached to the westward, and Captain Wilkes himself proceeded, on the 25th of February, to the  south, for the purpose of exploring the southeast side of Palmer’s  Land. After reaching latitude 63° 25’ south, finding the season too far advanced to make any progress against the ice, he turned  his ship’s head to the north, and the whole squadron was soon