OF THE ANTARCTIC VOYAGE. 273 
the design of proceeding to the Chatham Islands, in lat. 44°, 
S., and long. 176°. W., but the weather proved so thick and 
stormy, that to reach them was impossible, although H.M.S. 
Favourite had been appointed to meet the expedition there, 
and receive their despatches for England. Foiled in this inten- 
tion, they proceeded due south, passing Bounty Island and 
Antipodes Isle, until they were entangled in Pack ice of im- 
mense extent, between lat. 62?. and 689., from the 18th of 
December, 1841, till February 2nd, 1843. After this, they 
with difficulty reached a little higher southern latitude, 
namely 78?. 10’. than where they had been checked the 
preceding year, and more to the east, when they were 
again brought up by the same impenetrable Victoria Bar- 
rier. So late in the season, it was hopeless to search for 
winter quarters, and they returned northerly to the pa- 
rallel of 60°, when they took an easterly course, doubling 
Cape Horn, and on the 6th of April, 1842, reached Berkeley 
Sound, in the Falkland Islands, the first land that had greeted 
their eves since quitting New Zealand, a period of one huu- 
dred and thirty-eight days, the whole of that time having 
been passed under sail, or in the Pack ice, or among Icebergs. 
Indeed, none but those employed in this voyage can at all 
appreciate the difficulties and hardships that were endured. 
In order that this little notice may record some of the perils 
which have attended this Antarctic exploring voyage, we give = | 
the following extracts from a letter published in the Athe- 
neum of Miawob: 1843, which bear all the stamp of a faithful — se 
narration, and may tend to convey a faint idea of them. - 
* From the Bay of Islands, it had been Captain Ross’s 
_ intention to proceed as far as 150th degree of west longitude, 
and then to go south. The winds were at first favourable, 
and the weatlier fine, though occasionally thick fogs came on, - 
Which, during their continuance, obliged us to be constantly 
firing muskets, beating gongs, and tolling bells, to keep com- 
_ pany with the Erebus. On the 13th of December, we reached- 
~ the parallel mentioned, and proneeded: south, encountering 
~ the Pack ice in lat. 623°. and. long. 147° W., which was con- 
