No 15. (Copy) U. S. Ship Vincennes Harbour of Rio de Janeiro Decr. 25th. 1838 Sir, I have the honor to enclose herewith list of about 500 Speci- men in Natural History, Botany, Mineralogy, &c. which have been col- lected and prepared by the Scientific Corps of the Exploring Expedition, since we left the United States, which affords satisfactory evidence of their industry and application in the barren Shires assigned them. I have had these specimens carefully packed in boxes, marked and sealed with the seal of the Expedition, and put on board the American brig 'L' Orient', Capt. Pauls, for Philadelphia, and consigned to the Navy Agent there, subject to your order, and given directions that they should not be opened or distributed, but stored in a proper place until required by you. Among the boxes is one marked "No. 5, Seeds & Plants"; in relation to which I take leave to enclose a letter to Mr. Walbank, the Herbarist of Philadelphia, requesting him to take the cultivation of its contents; and if in receiving your approbation, I request the letter may be forwarded to him with an order to the Navy Agent for the box. I would strongly recommend Mrs. Frankel Dale of Philadelphia, brother of Mr. J. D. Peale, one of our Naturalists, as a suitable person to take charge of all the specimens except the box of Seeds & Plants, to keep them safely until our re- turn, and take leave to enclose a letter to him to be forwarded with copies of the lists & an order from you to the Navy Agent for the boxes. I have addressed a letter to the Honorable the Secretary of the Treasury & one to the Collector of Phila- delphia, stating the contents of the boxes; I request that they may be passed through the Custom House without duty or fees or disturbed. The freight of the same to Philadelphia has been paid here. I have the honor to be Your Respectful Servant, J. H. J. T. Paulding Sec'y of Navy [illegible] Charles Wilkes, Esq. Commander, Exp. Expl.