Narrative of the United States Expedition

The United States Exploring Expedition under the command of Captain Charles Wilkes, arrived in Port Jackson on 29th November 1839. The Officers and crew soon disembarked to explore the streets of Sydney. The expedition was made welcome and although Captain Wilkes was too busy to undertake any expeditions other than to Parramatta at the invitation of Governor Gipps, other members did manage to investigate further afield. Two young men, Alfred Agate and Horatio Hale made their way to Newcastle and Lake Macquarie where they met with Reverend Lancelot Threlkeld.

 Alfred Agate was born in New York in 1812. He was a brilliant artist, capable of drawing landscapes, portraits and scientific illustrations. He created many works of art during his time with the United States Exploring Expedition and was the designated portrait and botanical artist of the expedition. On his visit to Lake Macquarie in 1839 he produced the well known portrait of Biraban. He died aged 34 of consumption in 1846. He was 27 years old on his visit to Lake Macquarie

Twenty two year old Horatio Hale served as a philologist on the expedition and became an expert in his field.  Hale's volume Ethnography and Philology of the expedition printed in 1846 is said to have laid the foundations of the ethnography of Polynesia.

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