re consumed in making this
passage, and a distance covered of 200 miles, although if the trip had
been made in a straight line instead of along the winding course of
the river, it would have been necessary to have traversed only sixty
miles. An encampment was established on the desolate banks of the Dead
Sea, and several exploring and scientific expeditions in the
neighborhood were made. Among the interesting facts gathered was the
exact depression of the Dead Sea below the level of the ocean. This
was found to be 1,312 feet.

The western coast of Africa was the scene of the next important
activity on the part of the American cruisers. The slave-trade, which
in the eighteenth century had assumed extensive proportions, still
flourished to a degree which made the condition upon the coast a
disgrace to civilization. It was a notorious fact, moreover, that a
large proportion of the vessels in the trade were of American build
and sailed under the Stars and Stripes. The United States Government
was anxious to wipe out this blot upon the nation's fair fame; and
consequently, in 1849, sent Lieutenant Foote, in command of the brig
"Perry," to African waters. The lieutenant, who, by the way, afterward
became the distinguished Admiral Foote, at once began active cruising
off Ambrig, a notorious slave mart. The "Perry" was constantly at sea,
chasing and boarding suspicious vessels, and very often her boats
passed through the surf and ran up the jungle-bordered rivers to the
slave barracoons. Many large slavers were captured, and when, in 1851,
the "Perry" was succeeded on the African coast by the squadron under
Commander Gregory, Lieutenant Foote had effectually checked the slave
trade. He was thanked for his services by the Secretary of the Navy.

While Lieutenant Foote was sailing under the blazing sun of Africa,
another lieutenant, Edwin J. De Haven, in command of the brigs
"Rescue" and "Advance," was pushing his way northward through the ice
of the Arctic Ocean. The Navy Department had considered it proper and
fitting to aid England in her search for the British commander, Sir
John Franklin and his men, who had sailed into the Arctic regions on
an exploring expedition, and had been gone so long as to warrant the
belief that they were in grave peril, if not already dead. Volunteers
for the relief expedition had been called for by the department.
Lieutenant De Haven and others had responded, and on May 24th, 1850,
started on th