52 cook's second voyage dec. 



found no ground with a line of 220 fathoms. The 

 calm continued till six in the evening, when it was 

 succeeded by a light breeze from the east, which after- 

 wards increased to a fresh gale. 



In the morning of the 28th, I made the signal to 



the Adventure to spread four miles on my starboard 



beam ; and in this position we continued sailing 



W. S. W. until four o'clock in the afternoon, when 



the hazy weather, attended with snow showers, made 



it necessary for us to join. Soon after we reefed our 



top-sails, being surrounded on all sides with islands 



of ice. In the morning of the 29th, we let them out 



again, and set top-gallant sails, still continuing our 



course to the westward, and meeting with several 



penguins. At noon we were, by observation, in the 



latitude of 59 12', longitude 19 1' east; which is 



3 more to the west than we were when we first fell 



in with the field ice ; so that it is pretty clear that it 



joined to no land, as was conjectured. 



Having come to a resolution to run as far west as 

 the meridian of Cape Circumcision, provided we met 

 with no impediment, as the distance was not more 

 than 80 leagues, the wind favourable, and the sea 

 seemed to be pretty clear of ice, I sent on board for 

 Captain Furneaux, to make him acquainted there- 

 with ; and after dinner he returned to his ship. At 

 one o'clock we steered for an island of ice, thinking, 

 if there were any loose ice round it, to take some on 

 board, and convert it into fresh water. At four we 

 brought to, close under the lee of the island; where we 

 did not find what we wanted, but saw upon it eighty- 

 six penguins, This piece of ice was about half a 

 mile in circuit, and one hundred feet high and up- 

 wards ; for we lay for some minutes with every sail 

 becalmed under it. The side on which the penguins 

 were, rose sloping from the sea, so as to admit them 

 to creep up it. 



It is a received opinion, that penguins never go 

 far from land, and that the sight of them is a sure 



