Some days later the _Flying Fish_ was met and she reported that she had penetrated to the parallel of 70 degrees.

There was imminent danger of being frozen in, and, as they were short of provisions, they sailed northward.

The _Flying Fish_ reached Orange Harbor in April, while the _Peacock_ continued on to Valparaiso, where the storeship _Relief_ was found.

In May the other members of the squadron arrived at the port, with the exception of the _Sea Gull_, which was never heard of again.
The squadron now crossed the Pacific, reaching Sydney, New South Wales, in the latter part of November.

There, after consulting with his officers, Lieutenant Wilkes decided to make another Antarctic cruise.
The _Flying Fish_ proved so unseaworthy that, after passing through a violent storm, she was obliged to return to port and took no further part in the enterprise.
Once more among the ice fields, the ships were menaced by danger from every side.