Bloomington Herald

From the St. Louis New Era,

NEWS FROM THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION.

We have been permitted, by Maj. Sanford, of this city, to make an extract from a letter received from his brother, who is an officer attached to the U. States Exploring Expedition, of a date much later than has been received in the U. States, and which is of much interest. The letter was received via New Orleans, and must have come from the Pacific by an over land route. It will be seen, that the Expedition does not return to the U. S. until May, 1842; and that two officers have fallen victims, to the ferocity of the savages.

U. S. SHIP VINCENNES.

Honolulu, Oahu Isld. Oct. 24th, 1840.

I believe I gave you all the movements of the squadron up to the date of my last letter. After leaving New Zealand, we bore away for Tongataboo, one of the Tonga Islands, where we arrived after a rather protracted voyage. During our stay there of a week, we attempted to effect a reconciliation between the Heathen and Christian parties, who had been very belligerent towards each other for some time previous to our arrival, but without success. The cause of this warfare was, to use the emphatic expression of the Heathens, the Christians wished "to cram religion down their throats without their wish or consent." The Heathens are by far the strongest; but the Christians possess more effective weapons, which make up for their deficiency in numbers.

Since we left there. we have heard of the death of Capt. Croker of the British Frigate Favorite, as also fifteen of his men, who were killed in a skirmish with the Heathen party. He was sent out by the Colonial Government of New S Wales, to assist the Christians and protect the resident Missionaries. From Tonga we sailed direct for the Feegee Islands, where we remained about three months, making a complete survey of the Gulf. Here we had "hard times," indeed. The natives in savage ferocity, treachery, and cannibalism, exceed the bounds almost of conception itself. Two of our most efficient and worthy officers, (and ship mates of mine,) Lieut. Underwood, and Midshipman Wilkes Henry, whilst out on a surveying cruise in boats, were most barbarously murdered by the natives of Malolo Island. The day subsequent, a large party from the squadron attacked and killed about one hundred of the natives, burnt their towns, and destroyed every kind of vegetable and fruit on the Island. We made a treaty with "Tauva," the "King of the Cannibal Islands," but will he conform to it? is a question which only time can to a certainty, answer, I say he will not. No dependence should be placed in any protestation or promises, that he may make. Every one ought to depend more upon their means of intimidating them into doing what is right and proper, than on vows and promises. Their blackest designs are concealed under a smiling and apparently hospitable exterior. Age, misfortune, or oppression, finds no sympathy, and instead of appealing to their pity, calls down upon those who are too weak to resist, fresh injuries, and sometimes even death.

Enough of this abominable race.—When we meet, you shall hear more to horrify you, than I could write in a month. We sailed for this place on the 12th of August. * * * * I look forward to our arrival in the United States, which is definite, May, 1842.