With the outbreak of yellow fever in the ship in the late spring, Narragansett was ordered to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she decommissioned 2 July 1869.

In December she sailed for the Southwest Pacific and an extended cruise through the Marshalls, Gilberts and Samoan Islands to Australia, arriving at Sydney on 2 April 1873.

On her return from this cruise, the sloop was assigned special duty in connection with the survey and examination of the steamer routes along the coasts of California and Mexico.

While she was at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, in November 1874, Seaman Thomas Lakin jumped overboard and rescued two shipmates from drowning, for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor.

[1] Detached from that duty in 1875, Narragansett entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where she decommissioned and was laid up until 3 November 1883, when she was sold to Win.