First Landing on the Antarctic Continent 



From approximately 7:45 p.m. on the evening of February 6, 1821, until 10 

 o'clock the following morning, Captain Davis sailed the Cecilia on a course 

 which took him to the shores of the Antarctic Continent. His report of this 

 historic cruise is contained in the log of the Huron and is quoted in full: 

 "Wednesday 7th February 1821 



"Commences with open Cloudy Weather and Light winds a standing 

 for a Large Body of Land in that direction SE at 10 a.m. close in with 

 it, out Boat and Sent her on Shore to look for Seal at 11 a.m. the Boat 

 returned but found no signs of Seal at noon our Latitude was 64° 01' 

 South. Stood up a Large Bay, the Land high and covered intirely with 

 Snow the wind comming Round to the north'd & Eastward with Thick 

 weather. Tacked Ship and headed off Shore, at 4 p.m. fresh Gale and 

 Thick weather with Snow. Reefed the main Sail and took the Bonnet 

 off the fore Sail. Ends with Strong Gales at ENE with Cloudy un- 

 pleasant weather attended with Snow and a heavy Sea. Concluded 

 to make the Best of our way for the Ship. I think this Southern Land 

 to be a Continent." 



So far as firsthand, documentary accounts are concerned this is the first re- 

 corded landing on shores in this region of the Antarctic Peninsula. From the 

 evidence the shores were those of the Continent itself. Captain Davis, there- 

 fore, becomes an important explorer. It is to this unknown American sealer 

 that our country owes a long-delayed debt of honor. His logbook, so miracu- 

 lously saved, presents stirring evidence of a superior shipmaster worthy of this 

 deed. 



Like his contemporaries, he is an unheralded mariner. These American 

 sealers provided claims of explorations and discovery in the South Shetland 

 and Antarctic Peninsula area of which we, as fellow Americans, may well be 

 proud. Captain Robert Johnson's cruise to ^d"" south was probably down this 

 coast, and Captain Shefl^eld's mate, Daniel Clark, of the Hersilia, also wrote 

 of American sealers cruising to the shores of the Antarctic Peninsula, as will 

 be noted later in the Appendix. 



Where did Captain Davis land his men on that memorable Wednesday morn- 

 ing, February 7, 1821? A retracing of the Cecilia's course from Low Island 

 reveals a number of interesting possibilities. 



After leaving Low Island at about 7 :45 on the evening of February 6, the 

 Cecilia stood southeast by compass for another island in that direction. This 

 course, if followed, would have taken her to Hoseason Island. 



[51] 



