2774. ROUND THE WORLD. #71 



in some measure, relieved us ; at least shortened the 

 dangers and hardships inseparable from the naviga- 

 tion of the southern polar regions. Since, therefore, 

 we could not proceed one inch farther to the south, 

 no other reason need be assigned for my tacking, and 

 standing back to the north ; being at this time in the 

 latitude of 71 10' S., longitude, 106 54' W. 



It was happy for us that the weather was clear 

 when we fell in with this ice, and that we discovered 

 it so soon as we did ; for we had no sooner tacked 

 than we were involved in a thick fog. The wind 

 was at east, and blew a fresh breeze ; so that we were 

 able to return back over that space we had already 

 made ourselves acquainted with. At noon, the 

 mercury in the thermometer stood at 32--, and we 

 found the air exceedingly cold. The thick fog con- 

 tinuing with showers of snow, gave a coat of ice to 

 our rigging of near an inch thick. In the afternoon 

 of the next day, the fog cleared away at intervals ; 

 but the weather was cloudy and gloomy, and the air 

 excessively cold ; however, the sea within our hori- 

 zon was clear of ice. 



We continued to stand to the north with the wind 

 easterly till the afternoon, on the 1st of February, 

 when, falling in with some loose ice which had broken 

 from an island to windward, we hoisted out two boats, 

 and having taken some on board, resumed our course 

 to the north and north-east with gentle breezes from 

 the south-east, attended sometimes with fair weather, 

 and at other times with snow and sleet. On the 

 4th we were in the latitude of 65 42' S., longitude 

 99 44'. The next day the wind was very unsettled 

 both in strength and position, and attended with snow 

 and sleet. At length on the 6th, after a few hours' 

 calm, we got a breeze at south, which soon after 

 freshened, fixed at west south-west, and was attended 

 with snow and sleet. 



I now came to a resolution to proceed to the north, 

 and to spend the ensuing winter within the tropic, 



