288 Notice relative to the Observations and Discoveries 
gress in that direction was prevented by a barrier of ice stretch- 
ing away from a projecting cape of the coast directly to the 
E.S.E. 
This extraordinary barrier presented a perpendicular face 
of at least 150 feet, rising, of course, far above the mast-heads 
of our ships, and completely concealing from our view every- 
thing beyond it, except only the tops of a range of very lofty 
mountains in a S.S.E. direction, and in latitude 79° S. 
Pursuing the examination of thissplendid barrier tothe east- 
ward, we reached the latitude of 78° 4’ S., the highest we 
were at any time able to attain, on the 2d February, and onthe 
9th, having traced its continuity to the longitude of 191° 23, 
in latitude 78° S., a distance of more than 300 miles, our far- 
ther progress was prevented by a heavy pack, pressed closely 
against the barrier ; and the narrow lane of water by means 
of which we had penetrated thus far, became so completely 
covered by rapidly forming ice, that nothing but the strong 
breeze with which we were favoured enabled us to retrace our 
steps. 
When at a distance of less than half a mile from its lofty 
icy cliffs, we had soundings with 318 fathoms, on a bed of soft 
blue mud. 
With a temperature of 20° below the freezing point, we 
found the ice to form so rapidly on the surface, that any far- 
ther examination of the barrier in so extremely severe a pe- 
riod of the season being impracticable, we stood away to the 
westward, for the purpose of making another attempt to ap- 
proach the Magnetic Pole, and again reached its latitude (76° 
S.) on the 15th of February; and although we found that 
much of the heavy ice had drifted away since our former at- 
tempt, and its place in a great measure supplied by recently 
formed ice, yet we made some way through it, and got a few 
miles nearer the Pole than we had before been able to accom- 
plish, when the heavy pack again frustrated all our efforts, com- 
pletely filling the space of 15 or 16 miles between us and the 
shore. We were this time in latitude 76° 12’ S. and longitude 
164°, the dip being 88.40, and variation 109.24 E. We were, 
of course, only 160 miles from the Pole. 
Had it been possible to approach any part of this coast, and 
