ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 119 



Australia was observed to the northward and westward. It 

 reached to the zenith, the light shooting across the heavens in 

 columns 40° or 50° broad, of a light-yellow color, slightly 

 tinged with red, and moving very rapidly from east towards 

 west. So brilliant and remarkable was the phenomenon, that 

 almost every person in the ship came on deck to witness it. 

 The star Canopus was in the zenith at the time, and its 

 brightness appeared much diminished. 



At 2 P. M. we landed on an iceberg, upon which were 

 found more stones. Upon it were also found a vast number 

 of penguins, and several were captured and their skins pre- 

 served for the government. They made a stout resistance, 

 biting and striking those who seized them with their powerful 

 flippers. One of them was a king penguin, and he could only 

 be taken by knocking him down with a boat-hook. His height 

 was 22 inches, and the circumference of the body 45 inches. 

 He was a showy-looking bird, his head being adorned with 

 bright yellow feathers, resembling a graceful plume. We also 

 saw in the afternoon a sea-elephant, and we tried our best to 

 kill him, by firing into him no less than sixteen musket balls, 

 but he seemed not to mind them, and finally disappeared. 

 Appearances of land have also been seen this day. The 

 health of the crew continues to improve. 



February 20th. We have now light breezes from the west- 

 ward. At 8.30 A. M. made the barrier a-head, and on the 

 weather-bow kept off and set all sail. At 4 one hundred 

 icebergs were counted in sight from aloft. At 6 made the 

 barrier again, bearing southwest-by-west ; shortened sail, and 

 hauled on a wind. At 11.30 lowered a boat to try the cur- 

 rent, but found none ; at the same time sounded with 850 

 fathoms line— no bottom ; temperature at that depth 35°, at 

 the surface 31°. Our longitude at noon was 101° 46' 00'' 



