Assigned to the Pacific Squadron, Mohican departed San Francisco, California 27 June 1885 to patrol the coast of Mexico and South America.

She surveyed Easter Island in December for the Smithsonian Institution, and then sailed on the 31st for South America, arriving Valparaiso, Chile, 14 January 1887.

[5] After completion of repairs in January 1893, Mohican was outfitted as flagship for Rear Admiral Joseph S. Skerrett, commander of the Pacific Squadron.

[6] She subsequently sailed in June for Alaska to continue her Bering Sea patrols, ending a 22-month cruise at San Francisco 8 October 1894.

She returned to Mare Island in August following stops at Honolulu and Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, and then resumed cruising the Californian and Mexican coasts.

Mohican served as station ship into 1910, being ordered to additional service as tender for submarine divisions, Asiatic Fleet, 30 December 1909.