RULES ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII NOV. 8, 1955 WITH REGARD TO THE REPRODUCTION OF MASTERS THESES (a) No person or corporation may publish or reproduce in any manner, without the consent of the Committee on Research and Graduate Study, a thesis which has been submitted to the University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree. (b) No individual or corporation or other organization may publish quotations or excerpts from a graduate thesis without the consent of the author and of the Committee on Research and Graduate Study. JOURNAL OF DOCTOR JOHN S. WHITTLE, * ASSISTANT SURGEON ON THE U.S. EXPLORING EXPEDITION 1838-1842, UNDER THE COMMAND OF LT. CHARLES WILKES U.S.N. A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS JANUARY 1962 3jr • , Sister Catherine Roberta^S.N.D. Hawn „ CP5 H? no. 470 ,3 -0270 cop „2 APPROVED BY THESIS COMMITTEE Charles H. Hunter, Ph. D., Chairman / ¿ v i ¿ r-.,/r . •/ c ¿ & / Donald D. Johnson, Ph. D. Leonard E. Meson, Ph. P. 1 5 0 ° E 180° ' To Columbio Rivor |50° W / Aprii 5, 1841 , tysapt. 2 5,1840 ..•vM'- T -s - 2 0 ° N WHITTLE'S PACIFIC ROUTES MARIANAS !o 4 Whittlo tronjforrod to Poocock, I S L A N 0 S Ltovos Honolulu Ote. I, 1840 Whittle on Vincennes ------------------------ W h ittle on P eacock ------------------------ \ Rongorik Atoll, Moy5, 1841 ì . * • Statute Miles M a R S H A L L •*. \ V \ 'A, . .o I S L A N 0 S . N >A" CAROLINE Mili, Mor 2, i*« I S L A N 0 S t • Woshinglon I. Ooc. I l, 1840 t % o - Mokin Is. A p ril 29, 1841 ° . -0° Kurio V Jorvis I. Otc. 20, 1840 0 Apr. 18,1841 \ •, GILBERT I S L A N 0 S Orummond's l ' | A p r. S, 1841 t ,/Endorbury I. Jon 8, 1841 “7 Hull I. Au«. 25, 1840 ELLICE X / I S L A N 0 S y t Atofu. Jon. 25, 1841 Funafuti V* March 14, 1841 * V \ • k Q Swain's I. ? Fob. 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C ^ ,.-.-f - ¿ j < f SIS^ÉL- • /> ■ j ■^_ ■/ ... ■■ , ^ — ¿ O ' 1.:-Z< h j r f L ¿fc«- . ;V' ^/ C ( ^ ><!''<<-* .'T^ , ,V • , / , - , ; / ^ * f « f " , ' A ' - ^ 1 u i.^ Ji. c-'i- ¡< ’■ ' / t+A~ / &Z> ft m.3^%. t * . t_, 48riu / /.« .) < r ' ^ S M <- i^.. >. ..■w'fe? - » V- x f c & y e * . /, ■ ?/i^ *- ? .,, ( « > k / / - L i , • ✓> / ' Il S ' >' ■ The following journal has been transcribed from a negative micro­ film taken of the original manuscript which was deposited at the Library of the University of Virginia on June 9, 1944 by Mias Prances Whittle Jones| grandniece of Doctor John S. Whittle, Every effort has been made to preserve the document in its original form even to the inconsistencies and errors in spelling and punctuation. Doctor Whittle's handwriting was fairly readable but not without difficulties in deciphering. Completely Illegible words, however, have been reduced to a minimum. Deletions which were still readable have also been retained. iv. p r e f a c e The journal presented herewith Is a fascinating document, more than one hundred years old, recently donated to the University of Virginia. It was written by Doctor John S. Whittle, an assistant surgeon on the U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842 under the command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, U.S.N, This voyage was undertaken in the spirit of expansion to promote commercial and scientific interests in the Pacific area. Several problems arose in organising the project, and they continued to accompany it throughout its course. The Whittle journal being an untouched, unexpurgated account of the voyage, serves to throw light on some of these issues. Various reasons have been given to explain the limited success of the Wilkes Expedition. It became Involved in politics; scientific and commercial interests clashed concerning its objectives, and a general lack of interest prevailed due to excessive concentration on internal affairs. Another important factor to be considered was the personality of its Commander who, although a scientifically gifted officer, was heartily disliked and resented by his fellow officers because of his strict discipline and severity. Doctor Whittle's account adds corroborative detail concerning Wilkes and assesses the feelings of officers and crew in situations that are glossed over in the official accounts of the voyage. It will be of in­ terest and value to those concerned with the study of the mid-19th Century Pacific, V. a a o B i g iffli The influence of the frontier in the development of our country- must not be underestimated. America's spectacular westward expansion has been a subject of interest and enthusiasm to historians past and present. The topic under consideration here touches one phase of this advancement, that of the 'sea frontier' of the Pacific, While rapid and effective progress was being made across the continent, the desire for national glory manifested itself on the sea as well. Adventurous New Englanders had developed trade with China resulting in substantial profits. These same hardy people as sealers and whalers were plying the ocean in search of rich returns. Added to the commercial projects was that of the missionary activity in the Pacific area early in the nineteenth century. All of the above contacts were private enterprises. No systematic attempt had been undertaken on the part of the government to establish a specific political or economic policy with regard to the Pacific peoples up to this time. The need for government help and protection was urgent, but unfortunately very slow in becoming a reality. Commodore John Downes, U.S.N,, wrote to this effect in a letter to John Reed, a member of Congress, saying, "The accounts given of the dangers and losses to which our shipping are exposed by the extension of our trade into seas but little known, so far, in my opinion, from being exaggerated, would admit of being placed in bolder relief, and the protection of government implored in stronger terms." ^ ^ Downes to Hon, John Reed, Niles Weekly Register. April 3, 1B3&, L, 152, Vi. It was this need, coupled with the hope of opening new economic opportunities for American merchants and traders, that prompted the desire for an official, government-launched exploring expedition into Pacific waters. Science, exploration, discovery, expansion of commercial In­ terests, all combined in the hope of profiting from such a project, but, despite these many incentives, years passed before the plan was realised. Two major steps marked the interval of hesitation and delay from the first proposal in 1810 to the date of sailing in 1838, The first great difficulty was to get the bill authorised by Congress and the second was to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to organization and planning. Concerning the first phase, proposals were made persistently to Congress by Captain Edmund Fanning and Jeremiah N, Reynolds, enthusiastic proponents of the idea. Despite assurance of great commercial gains and national prestige that would accrue from such a project, their plans were regularly rejected,2 "Considering the wide unsettled and unexplored regions at home, /"the Senate^ saw nothing in the conditions of the United States to recommend distant voyages of exploration."^ Reynolds persevered in his tireless efforts, and great credit is due him for his work in the face of opposition and prejudice and "Whatever of good may result to the country from this expedition, Justice requires that 2 Mention should be made that President Madison on March 17th, 1812, commissioned Captain Edmund Fanning to undertake an Expedition of Discovery to the South Seas, but he was prevented from sailing due to the declaration of war against Grt. Britain. Edmund Fanning, Voyages to the South Seas. Indian & Pacific Oceans (N.Y., 1838), p. 266. 3 James M. Callahan, American,Kflations in the Pacific and The Far East (Baltimore, 1901), p. 52. Vii. it be attributed mainly to the exertions of Mr. Reynolds, whose per­ severing efforts throughout the nation to unite public sentiment in its favor, ultimately obtained for the enterprise the sanction of the national authority and the aid of the national funds,On May 14., IB36 , President Andrew Jackson finally signed the long-sought bill and Reynolds was appointed corresponding secretary of the expedition. The first major struggle was over.