Captain Bur dick Recognizes Land 



Which He Also "Supposes to Be a Continent 



When the shallop Cecilia returned to Yankee Harbor early Saturday morning, 

 February 10, 1821, Captain Davis had 1,720 skins on board to show for his 

 cruise of January 30 through February 9, and 454 of this total was transferred 

 to Captain Burdick and the Huntress^^ That the two shipmasters discussed 

 in detail the possibility of getting more seals on Low Island is obvious, because, 

 two days later, on February 12, the Cecilia again left the anchorage and, under 

 Captain Burdick, sailed for the newly-found rookeries.''^ 



The Nantucket man recorded, ". . . started in the Shallop on a cruce to the 

 southward and westward. Commences Shallop account . . . trying to get to 

 Southard." The light airs from the west held him up and it was not until 7 A.M. 

 on February 13 that he reached first mate Coleman's stand. Then it came on 

 to blow heavily from the northeast, attended with snow, and he was forced to 

 anchor as no boat could reach the shore due to the "rufness of the whether." 

 At 2:00 in the afternoon first mate Coleman and second mate Burdick of the 

 Huntress came aboard with 471 skins. The little shallop then got under way 

 and stood to the southward. 



On board the Cecilia at this time were Captain Burdick and his two mates 

 from the Huntress, with mate Goddard, second mate Philips, Dr. Russell of 

 the Huron and at least seventeen men from the Huron and the Huntress.^^ The 

 shallop left the south shores of Livingston Island on Wednesday, February 

 14, at 8 P.n. On the following day, Captain Burdick made this entry in his log: 



"Begins with Light airs and variable with calm pleasant wether. At 

 Meridian Lat. by obs. 63° 17' S. President [Snow] Island Bearing 

 North 3 Leagues, Mount Pisco [Smith Island] S W by W dist. 7 

 leagues, the Peak of Frezeland [Livingston] NE J^ E 11 Leagues, De- 

 ception Island N E by N 8 Leagues and a small Low Island, SSW 6 

 Leagues to which I am bound and Land from South to E S E which 

 I suppose to be a Continent Later part fresh breze at North at 6 p.m. 

 came to anchor under Low Island among a parcel of rocks. Sent the 

 Boat on Shore. She returned with 22 Seal. So Ends these 24 hours." 



From the time she left Livingston Island's south beach at 8 o'clock the pre- 

 vious night, until Captain Burdick made his position to be 63° 17' south latitude 

 at 12 meridian on February 15, the Cecilia had sailed a course almost due 

 south. The cross bearings at this time of day place the little shallop equidistant 



[63] 



