"Sea Of Glory" by Nathaniel Philbrick. Four years, six sailing ships and the 346 men of the United States South Seas Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842;
4,000 ethnographic objects, a third more than collected by Cook on all three of his voyages
50,000 plant specimens from 10,000 species.
2,150 birds along with 134 mammals and 588 species of fish.
300 fossil species, 400 species of coral. 1000 of crustacea.
280 Pacific Islands charted with incredible accuracy, 800 miles of the Oregan Coast, 100 miles of the Columbia River and 1,500 miles of the Antarctic Coast.
It's all quite astonishing, especially as most of the scientists on it became giants in their field e.g. James Dwight Dana who found proof of Darwin's theory of coral islands and is, I think, a father of plate tectonics.
Alas it was all soured by the Commander and politics. Though this is the second time I've read it and I think the childishness of politics was mostly to blame for this expedition not being more celebrated. I don't want to say more in case I give too much away beyond the fact that I don't blame Wilkes for assuming the rank of Captain and flying a Commodore's pennant when he was only a lieutenant.
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