Aft x ARCTIC CRUISE. 109 



CHAPTER X. 



" Uptorn, reluctant, from its oozy cave, 

 The ponderous anchor rises o'er the "wave." 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



December 26th. At an early hour this morning the 

 squadron sailed from Sydney, on an exploring cruise in the 

 Antarctic Ocean. 



We have not visited a place since we left the United States 

 with which we have been so well pleased, as the capital of 

 New South Wales. We received the most marked attention 

 while on shore, and had daily invitations from the inhabitants 

 to partake of their hospitalities. His Excellency the Gover- 

 nor sought an early opportunity to invite Captain Wilkes and 

 a number of the other officers, to come and spend several days 

 with him at his residence in Paramatta. The officers of the 

 50th Regiment gave us a splendid dinner, and the Australian 

 Club another. In short, everything was done, both by the 

 authorities and citizens, to render our visit a pleasant one. 



December 27th and 28th. During these two days nothing 

 of much interest occurred. In the afternoon of the 27th we 

 saw several albatrosses, and during the night the sea appeared 

 uncommonly phosphorescent. Our observations place us in 

 latitude 36° 48' 00" south, and 151° 00' 00" east. The wind 

 is from the eastward, and the weather is pleasant. 



December 29th. The mechanics have been engaged this 

 day in securing the ship from the cold, boisterous weather 



