the greater part in the occupancy of our largest shi and wholesale drygood merchants, and filled wit richest products of every portion of the globe. O Merchant's Exchange nothing but its marble walls re standing.

"Three or four vessels lying at the wharfs on street, were slightly injured in their yards and rig They were all hauled out into the river as soon as ticable.

"A detachment of marines from the navy yard Lieutenant Reynolds, and of sailors under Captain of the navy, arrived on the spot at two o'clock i morning. They rendered most valuable service. gunpowder brought from the magazine at Red Hoo partly under their charge.

666

"The cold during the whole time was excessive thermometer at zero. It may be easily supposed this greatly paralyzed the exertion of the firemen. sank under its effects, and was with difficulty resu ted. Two companies with their engines arrived from Newark, and rendered very material assistanc The passengers in a steamboat coming dow river, saw the flames from the Highlands, forty-five distant, and such was the violence of the gale, duri prevalence of the fire, that burning embers were c across the East river to Brooklyn and set fire to the of a house there, which was however speedily guished.

"Strong bodies of cavalry and volunteer infantry patrolling the streets near the fire, and preserved p order for the purpose of preventing depredations.'

134. Captain Wilkes' Exploring Expedition.

The first expedition fitted out by the United Stat the national expense, for scientific objects, was that the command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes who appointed to the command, March 20 1838. The

sels appointed for this service were the sloops of wa Vincennes and Peacock, the big Porpoise, and the store-ship Relief. The tenders Sea-Gull and Flying Fish were subsequently added. The Expedition left Hampton Roads, near Norfolk, August 18, 1838. After an absence of nearly four years in various parts of the globe, Lieut. Wilkes arrived at New York, on board the Vincennes, on the 10th of June, 1842.

The following is an outline of the instructions given Lieut. Wilkes by the Navy Department, as to the places to be visited, viz.: First, he was to shape his course to Rio Janeiro, where he was directed to replenish his supplies; thence to make a particular examination of the Rio Negro, which falls into the South Atlantic; thence to a safe port in Terra del Fuego; here the larger vessels were to be left, while the Porpoise and tenders were directed to explore the southern Antarctic. On the rejoining of the vessels at Terra Del Fuego, the squadron was directed to stretch southward and westward to lon gitude 1050 W., and return northward to Valparaiso, where a store-ship would meet them in March, 1839. From this port they were to shape their course to the Navigators' Group, and thence to the Feejee Islands, where they were to select a safe harbor for vessels of the United States. From these islands the squadron was directed to proceed to the port of Sidney (New Holland), and thence make a second attempt to penetrate within the Antarctic region, south of Van Dieman's Land. From this place they were to rendezvous at Kerguelen's Land, or the Isle of Desolation, from which they were to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, where a storeship from the United States with provisions would meet them in April, 1840. From the Sandwich Islands, the Expedition was to proceed to the northwest coast of America, where they were directed to make surveys along the territory of the United States, and afterwards along the coast of California. From this coast, they were directed to proceed to that of Japan, where they were to make an examination of the Sea of Sooloo, or Mindoro. After this examination they were to proceed to the Straits of Sunda,

and examine those of Billiton, and thence to the p Singapore. From this last-named place they we return to the United States by the way of the Ca Good Hope.

Although the primary object of the Expedition wa promotion of the great interests of commerce and na tion, yet, to extend the bounds of science, a corps o entific gentlemen, nine in number, were appointed accompanied the Expedition, viz: 3 Naturalists, 2 ists or Draughtsmen, 1 Mineralogist, 1 Philologist, strument-maker, and 1 assistant Taxidermist.

On the 28th of April, 1839, when near Cape Horn tender Sea-Gull, having on board two officers, Pa Midshipmen James W. E. Reid and Frederick A. Ba with a crew of 15 persons, was supposed to have lost in a severe gale, as nothing was ever heard of t afterwards. On the 16th of January, 1840, land discovered to the south of New Holland, which ma considered as the first discovery of the Antarctic c nent. The vessels engaged in this discovery were i extremely perilous condition amid fields of ice and ering icebergs, particularly the Peacock, which was a time wedged in between large masses of ice, í which impending destruction she was most providenti delivered.

On the 24th of July, 1840, Lieutenant Underwood Midshipman Henry, while engaged in surveying s of the small islands in the Feejee group, being on s for the purpose of trading, were both killed by the tives. Captain Wilkes, in order to strike terror these savages, and prevent such murders for the fut determined to chastise them. He accordingly inva the island, burned their two villages, and killed al fifty men. This brought them to terms; they sued the most abject manner for mercy, and promised ne to injure the white men more.

From the Feejee Islands the squadron proceeded the Sandwich Islands. On the 2d of December, 18 the Peacock and the Flying-Fish left Oahu under command of Captain Hudson, who was directed by C