30 



Departure of Peacock and Flying- 

 Fish. Separation. 



SOUTHERN CRUISE. 



Heavy gales. Birds. The sheath- 

 bill The blue petrel. 



CHAPTER VI. 



SOUTHERN CRUISE. VALPARAISO. 



DEPARTURE OF PEACOCK AND FLYING-FISH GALE SEPARATION DEFECTIVE OUTF] 



1 II .111 UWa Alj 3HU.r A HI Wajl BXi*B UH1 N trAM U U AW l-J!. BAM A L. VmVJL II ftOttSA CAjA3j UK. t3 i. 



MUSIC FONDNESS FOR FLOWERS GENERAL PRIETO HONOURS PAID HIM BALL DESCRIPTION OF IT. 



AT 10 A.M., on the 25th of February, the Peacock, 

 with the tender Flying-Fish, got under way, and 

 also received parting cheers from the Vincennes 

 and Relief as they passed out of the harbour. The 

 wind, as with the Porpoise, was light and variable 

 until the afternoon, when they likewise encountered 

 the heavy squall from the south-west, which with 

 the thick weather induced Captain Hudson .to re- 

 gain the outer anchorage of Orange Harbour, and 

 remain there during the continuance of the gale. 

 The next morning, the weather proving more fa- 

 vourable, they again got under way, and stood down 

 the bay, with all sail set, and a fine breeze from the 

 northward. 



The heavy bank of cumuli that had been per- 

 ceived in the west, by noon began to develop it- 

 self, and by three o'clock they were under their 

 storm-sails. The barometer, which was at 29-21 in., 

 began to rise as it came on. This gale lasted 

 twenty-four hours, and during its continuance the 

 tender Flying-Fish was lost sight of. Captain 

 Hudson in his instructions to Lieutenant Walker, 

 notified him that the Peacock would wait twelve 

 hours ' in or near the situation where last seen ; 

 which he now did; but no tidings being received 

 of the tender, he bore away for their first rendez- 

 vous, having taken the precaution to fix four places 

 of meeting. 



During the last gale, from her bad and defective 

 outfits, no vessel could be more uncomfortable than 

 the Peacock, and although every precaution was 

 taken to make the ports tight, yet from their 

 working, it was found impossible to keep them so. 



On the 7th they again had squalls of snow and 

 rain, with strong gales. On the 9th, although the 

 weather had moderated, yet the sea was very 

 heavy, and the ship tossed and tumbled about in 

 every direction. William Stewart, captain of the 

 main-top, was this day knocked off the yard, and in 

 his fall struck the main rigging, but he canted and 

 fell overboard, when he was seen to lie quite insen- 

 sible, feet up, supported by his exploring boots, 

 which were supposed to have occasioned his fall. 

 A bowline was thrown over them, and he was dex- 

 terously drawn on board again. The ship had but 



little headway, and it would have been impossible 

 to lower a boat on account of the roughness of the 

 sea; his rescue was therefore almost miraculous. 

 Every care was taken of him, but it was soon found 

 that the violence of the concussion had been so 

 great that his lungs had become gorged with blood, 

 and little hopes were entertained of his recovery. 

 After lingering to the 1 1th, he died. He was greatly 

 regretted by both officers and men, for he had 

 proved himself an excellent man, and was well cal- 

 culated for the service. On the same day his body 

 was committed to the deep, with the usual cere- 

 monies. 



This day they made the first iceberg. The only 

 indication in the air or water on approaching it, 

 was a fall of two degrees in the temperature of the 

 former, and one degree in the latter. Their 

 position was in latitude 64 S., and longitude 

 80 W. 



On the 14th, Captain Hudson remarked a great 

 and striking change in the weather since they 

 passed the 62 of south latitude, it having become 

 much more settled, and free from the sudden squalls 

 and constant gales they had experienced since leav- 

 ing Cape Horn. Several birds were shot this day, 

 including an albatross and many penguins. Petrels 

 and Cape pigeons were seen. They now began to 

 fall in with icebergs in numbers. The tempera- 

 ture of the water and air had fallen to 33 and 

 32. 



They encountered, during the 17th, and part of 

 the 18th, the heaviest gale and sea they had expe- 

 rienced since leaving the United States. The ship 

 was completely coated with ice, even to the gun- 

 deck. Every spray thrown over her froze, and her 

 bows and deck were fairly packed with it. The 

 crew suffered much from the gun- deck being con- 

 stantly wet; and it being now covered with ice, the 

 ship was damp throughout. 



On the 18th, the gale continued, with a heavy sea, 

 the winds prevailing more from the south and south- 

 south-east. There were many birds about the ship ; 

 among them a sheath-bill, which Mr. Peale made 

 every exertion to take, but without success. A blue 

 petrel was, however, caught. Several icebergs 



