100 



SECOND VOYAGE JAN. 



near 3 C E. of* the situation in which Mr. Dalrymple 

 places the N.E. point of the Gulph of St. Sebastian ; 

 but we had no other signs of land than seeing a seal 

 and a few penguins ; on the contrary we had a swell 

 from E.S.E. which would hardly have been, if any 

 extensive track of land lay in that direction. In the 

 evening the gale abated, and at midnight it fell calm. 



The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till 

 six next morning, when we got a wind at E., but the 

 fog still prevailed. We stood to the S. till noon, 

 when, being in the latitude of 55° 7', we tacked and 

 stretched to the N. with a fresh breeze at E. by S. 

 and E.S.E. cloudy weather ; saw several penguins 

 and a snow-peterel, which we looked on to be signs 

 of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder 

 than we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In 

 the afternoon the wind veered to S.E. and in the 

 night to S.S.E. and blew fresh ; with which we stood 

 to the N.E, 



At nine o'clock the next morning we saw an island 

 of ice as we then thought ; but at noon were doubtful 

 whether it was ice or land. At this time it bore 

 E. I S., distant thirteen leagues ; our latitude was 

 53° 56%', longitude 39° 24' W. ; several penguins, 

 small divers, a snow-peterel, and a vast number of 

 blue peterels about the ship. We had but little wind 

 all the morning ; and at two P. M. it fell calm. It 

 was now no longer doubted that it was land, and not 

 ice, which we had in sight. It was, however, in a 

 manner wholly covered with snow. We were farther 

 confirmed in our judgment of its being land, by 

 finding soundings at one hundred and seventy-five 

 fathoms, a muddy bottom. The land at this time 

 bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six 

 o'clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N. E., 

 with which we stood to S.E. At first it blew a 

 gentle gale, but afterwards increased so as to bring 

 us under double-reefed top-sails, and was attended 

 with snow and sleet. 



