HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS 299 



Balch^ States definitely that both Powell and Palmer returned to the South Shetlands 

 together, arriving at Clothier's Harbour on the north coast of Roberts Island on 

 December 22. On the other hand, as there is no evidence either in support of Bruce's 

 assumption or Balch's assertion, it may equally be held that Palmer was left behind at 

 the South Orkneys and that he found his own way back to the South Shetlands. From 

 his journal Powell, certainly, had arrived at Clothier's Harbour on December 22, but it 

 may have been much later before Palmer returned from the east. It is evident, at least, 

 that he was at the South Shetlands some time before the end of January (although how 

 long before we do not know) from the following letter to him from Benjamin Pendleton 

 dated " Shetland, Jany 25, 1822 ", and beginning " You being ready you will proceed to 

 sea & make all possible dispatch for the port of Stonington. . . ".' Fanning,^ too, if any 

 reliance can be placed on his dates, would seem to imply that this easterly journey to the 

 South Orkneys, at least as far as Palmer was concerned, extended into January. 



Although Palmer has left no record of the voyage which has just been described, a 

 very vague account of it was published by Edmund Fanning,^ which for lack of further 

 evidence must be ascribed in whole or in part to Palmer. 



According to Fanning Palmer at the beginning of the season 182 1-2 had been de- 

 tached in the sloop ' James Monroe ' from the main Stonington fleet (then operating at 

 the South Shetlands under Benjamin Pendleton) in order to follow up and extend the 

 exploration of that part of the coast* to the south-west of the Bransfield Strait which he 

 had seen the previous season when in command of the ' Hero'. Fanning goes on to de- 

 scribe how Palmer crossed the Bransfield Strait and followed the coast of "Palmer's 

 Land" to the eastward during the months of December and January: 



In this way he coasted along this continent upwards of fifteen degrees, viz. from 64 and odd, down 

 below the 49th of west longitude. The coast, as he proceeded to the eastward, became more clear of 

 ice, so that he was able to trace the shore better; in 61° 41' south latitude, a strait was discovered, 

 which he named Washington Strait, this he entered, and about a league within, came to a fine bay 

 which he named Monroe Bay, at the head of this was a good harbor; here they anchored, calling it 

 Palmer's Harbor. The Captain landed on the beach among a number of those beautiful amphibious 

 animals, the spotted glossy-looking sea leopard, and that rich golden colored noble bird, the king 

 penguin. 



It is obvious of course that the strait which Fanning mentions was Washington, or 

 even more probably Lewthwaite, Strait in the South Orkneys,^ for no other land exists 

 near the latitude 61° 41' S "below the 49th of west longitude". It is equally obvious 

 that part of this journey at least must have been that which Palmer undertook in com- 

 pany with George Powell from Elephant Island. The position of Palmer's Monroe Bay 

 is uncertain. Bruce" thinks it might be Wilton Bay at the western end of Laurie Island, 



1 Balch, E. S., 1902, Antarctica, p. 97 (Philadelphia). 



2 Balch, E. S., 1909, Stonington Antarctic Explorers, Bull. Amer. Geog. Soc, xli, p. 483. 

 ^ Fanning, E., 1834, Voyages Round the World, pp. 438-40 (London). 



* "Palmer's Land." 



^ A fact recognized by D'Urville as early as 1842 in Voyage ait Pole Slid, Histoire dit Voyage, 2, p. 16 (Paris). 



« Bruce, W. S., 1917, loc. cit., supra, p. 249. 



DX 3 



