Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-31

The South Sea ErpedHion.-The brirs Scraph. and
Annawan, Captains Pcndlcton and Palmer, were at
anu TO san from the Cape de Ncrd Islands the 23d
OF November last, for the South Seas Thcv were
all we'll on board both vessels, and the officers and
gentlemen lived IN the utmost harmony with !, do
ermned spirit of perseverance, to make the resnlt ~
the voyage beneficial, and also honorable IN tLo;r
country,
ter from J. A. REYNOLDS, Esq.
BoNA NEsrr, Cope Verd Islands, Nov II.
Gcntlemen.-After having encountered orr f,D
share OF squalls, head aud cross seas thunder and
lightning, while passing the gulf, doomed, as it an.
psarcd to be, to the eternal conflict of tie
elements, VIC arrived in this port Tuesday
morning, oth inst making our passage "a days from
tho city of n. York.
have nude several excursions over the Island.
accompanied by my friend and companion Dr.
Fights, who has collected Il number of specrnrrs i,
botany, all IN perfect bloom, and much more valuable
than We expected to find in place so long and well
known ana principally noted for It's salt which ma
tur' rain ~tlan art or abour supplies in the grout
est abundance.
On the arrival OF our consort tho brirr Se,onL C,,
tain Pcndlcton, shall proceed On our voyage Sic
lei S'onlngton the day we sailed from New York -
me extent and duration Of our voyage cannot he
Determined at this time Besides. acting in GOOD
aIh, as we mean to do, towards our Stockholders in
the business part Of tho cruizc, two other objects
VIII particularly occupy our attention. which, # We
can accomplish IN any tolerablc degree | shall tne
that my time has been well employed, and that our
national
point of view
Oac VIII be to collect such facts, within the ronra
OF orr commercial operations, in the Pacific Ocean
and South Seas, IS will show, that the completion of
the expedition, nearly matured, and so uDaccour-
tub'y lad by at the last session of Conrrcss v,oud
have been beneficial to CONNIE rcia interests ms
well as have reflect ed the highest credit on our ma.
tiOnal character. In the second place we shall on
deaYor 10 make such observations while the hiph.
Southern attitudes, on tho formation and ouanfitv
of ice, and velocity of currents in the different
meridians; well as the points, where there will
be probably found the least obstruction in rcachn
high latitude South; in word to acquire such prac-
teal knowledge of those seas, as may be useful in
guiding the operations of efficient expedition
contemplated, on the return ofthe present one TO the
United States.
Discoveries i'll nigh ATTITUDES are necessarily pro-
gTe'sive Ooe voyage frequently does little else
than acquire the experience by which a succeeding
one may be more successful
Thus when Capt. Franklin arrived az the For,
bearing his name, on his northern expedition in An
gust 9Th, 1926 while the party under his command
were preparing their winter quarters he proceeded
to the mouth of Copperminc River; concluding "that
by taking view of the state of the Polar ice and the
bending of the coast TO the Westward, he would be
enabled to form pretty toIerabe correct notion as
10 the probability Of next years success"
Parry, ~ his second voyage to discover n north.
west passage, says:-"lf any proof were wanting of
the va!ce of local knowledge in the navigation ofthe
polar seas IT would be amply furnished by the fact of
our having now reached the entrance of Sir James
Lnncascrs Sound Just one month earlier than we
had done in 8l8-although we had then sailed fort
night sooner, with the general objects in view"
We will do what we can in preserving such OBJ.
lects 81 Natural History can be collected in that
part OF the globe where few researches have been
made IN this branch Of science. In Geology, Mine.
rology, and to certain extent Botany, the field be-
fore us is ample and unoccupied.
Should another opportunity occur for writing to
the United States. hope to have something more in
tcrcsting to communicate.
Respectfully, your obedicnt servant
]. a. REYNOLDS.
To the Editors Of the New York
Courier and EnaulIer.