1840.] MACQUARRIE ISLAND. 277 



After the 1st of January, there were comparatively few 

 pleasant days. Dense fogs, and heavy snow squalls and 

 storms, alternated with the open and favorable weather. On 

 the 3d instant, the Peacock separated from the Vincennes 

 and Porpoise, and on discovering this, Captain Hudson 

 steered for Macquarrie Island, which he found to be a lone- 

 some and dreary spot, destitute of either trees or shrubs, 

 its only verdure consisting of long tufted grass, and tenanted 

 by myriads of penguins, (eudyptes chrysocome). — This bird, 

 in respect to size, is an inferior variety of the species. It is 

 from sixteen to twenty inches in height, when standing erect. 

 Its plumage is white on the breast, black on the back, and 

 elsewhere of a dark dove color, except on the head, which is 

 adorned with four or five beautiful yellow feathers. Leaving 

 Macquarrie Island, Captain Hudson proceeded to the south- 

 ward, and again fell in with the Vincennes and Porpoise. 

 The three vessels were now rapidly approaching the great ob- 

 ject they hoped to discover, though all on board were fearful 

 that the solution of the mystery would disappoint their half- 

 formed expectations. 



(2.) Ever since Cook penetrated to the southward, in 

 January, 1774, on the 107th meridian, west longitude, till his 

 further progress was stopped by a mighty wall of icy moun- 

 tains, which he was unable to approach sufficiently near for 

 a careful or satisfactory examination, the existence of a vast 

 antarctic continent has been a reasonable supposition with 

 navigators and geographers, although never positively as- 

 serted. Captain Wilkes, indeed, asks, in a tone bordering 

 closely upon assurance — " Who was there prior to 1840, 

 either in this country or in Europe, that had the least idea 

 that any large body of land existed to the south of New 

 Holland ?"* It is not necessary to impute to him a desire to 

 magnify his discoveries beyond their real importance ; this, 

 perhaps, natural and excusable feeling, may have prompted 

 his inquiry ; but, however that may be, it is quite certain 

 that he is mistaken. Dumont d'Urville, in the account of 



* Narrative of the Exploring Expedition Vol. II. p. 233. 



