Volume (circa 150 items) containing letters from Eld to his father and other family members describing his activities while serving on the U.S.S. Delaware in the Mediterranean; on the U.S.S. Peacock and U.S.S. Vincennes while visiting South America, the South Pacific, and the northwest coast of the U.S., as a member of the U.S. Exploring Expedition led by Charles Wilkes; on the U.S.S. Flirt, U.S.S. John Adams, and the U.S.S. North Carolina; in Washington, D.C., where he helped in the preparation of Wilkes' narrative of the expedition; and on the U.S.S. Ohio during the War with Mexico in the siege of Vera Cruz, and later, when he escorted the American minister to Brazil and joined the Pacific Squadron. Topics include naval matters, places of interest, family affairs, and speculative ventures in Lake Superior mining and in California land.