Porpoise sailed from Boston, Massachusetts on 25 August 1836, called at various southern ports, and conducted coastal surveying operations under the direction of Lt. Charles Wilkes in the summer of 1837.

She assisted in the exploration and survey work of the Expedition as it confirmed the existence of the Antarctic Continent, charted vast areas of the South Pacific, circumnavigated the world, and returned to New York four years later.

[2] Porpoise underwent overhaul at New York at the end of 1842 and sailed on 8 February 1843 for the west coast of Africa to join the squadron patrolling for slavers.

During the next three and a half years, she hunted slavers along the west coast of Africa, touching at the U.S. in the spring of 1850 and returning to New York from this extended cruise on 19 December 1851.

Porpoise rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and with the squadron explored and charted many Pacific islands and shoals before arriving in China in March 1854.