On the 18th, we made Pulo Aor and Pulo Pedang, and arriving off the Singapore Straits, I hove-to, to await daylight.  In the morning at dawn, we found ourselves in close company with a Chinese junk.  The 19th, until late in the afternoon, we were in the Singapore Straits, making but slow progress towards this emporium of the East.  The number of native as well as foreign vessels which we passed, proved that we were approaching some great mart, and at 5:00 p.m. we dropped our anchor in Singapore Roads.  Here we found the Porpoise, Oregon, and Flying-Fish, all well:  the two former had arrived on January 22nd, nearly a month before, and the latter three days previously.  Before concluding this chapter, I shall revert to their proceedings since our separation off the Sandwich Islands.

The instructions to the brigs have been heretofore given; but it may not be amiss to repeat here that the object in detaching them was, that they might explore the line of reefs and islands known to exist to the northward and westward of the Hawaiian Group, and thence continue their course towards the coast of Japan.  Had they effected the latter object, it would have given important results in relation to the force of the currents, and the temperature of the water.  It was desirable, if possible, to ascertain with certainty the existence on the coast of Japan of a current similar to the Gulf Stream, to which my attention had been particularly drawn.

The first land they made was on December 1, 1841, and was Necker Island.  Birds, especially the white tern, had been seen in numbers prior to its announcement.  Necker Island is apparently a mass of volcanic rocks, about three hundred feet high, and is destitute of any kind of vegetation, but covered with guano.  It is surrounded by a reef, three miles from which soundings were obtained, in twenty fathoms water.  The furious surf that was beating on all sides of the island, precluded all possibility of a landing being made.  By the connected observations of the vessels it lies in longitude 164 deg. 37’ W., and latitude 23 deg. 44’ N.

The French-Frigate Shoal was seen on the 3rd; the weather proved bad, and they were unable to execute the work of examining this reef.  The sea was breaking furiously upon it.

On the 7th, the Maro Reef was made in latitude 25 deg. 24’ 29’’ N., longitude 170 deg. 43’ 24’’ W. Bottom was found at a distance of four miles from the reef, with forty-five fathoms of line.  On the 8th, they passed over the site of Neva Isle, as laid down by Arrowsmith, but no indications of land were seen.

[Arrival at Singapore.] On the 11th, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold determined, on account of the condition of the brigs, and the continuance of bad weather, it was impossible to keep their course to the northward and westward towards the coast of Japan; he, therefore, hauled to the southward, which was much to be regretted, and followed so very nearly in the same track as that pursued by the Vincennes, towards the China seas, that nothing new was elicited by them.