CHAPTER V.
On the 13th of July we got under way and stood out to sea, all the squadron in company except the Sea Gull. The ship Relief directed her course towards the Sandwich Islands, and the rest of the squadron towards the South Pacific, or summer seas. Next day we fell in with a Peruvian brig very much in need of water. We were most happy to be able to supply them with the necessary article. On this day the following order was read from the quarter-deck: "The undersigned, commanding the U. S. expedition, informs the officers and crews under his command that, as they are now about to visit the islands of the Pacific and to have intercourse with their inhabitants, he wishes to inculcate on all in the squadron that courtesy and kindness towards the natives which are well understood and felt by all classes of mankind; and trusts that neither contempt of nor interference with their customs, habits, manners, and prejudices, nor arrogance over them will be shown by any one belonging to the squadron, always bearing in mind that savage natives have but vague ideas of the rights of property, and that theft committed by them has been the great cause of collision between them and civilized nations. He would therefore enjoin upon them all great moderation in every-
