Proceedings of the Peacock. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Birds on Macquarie Island. 



131 



We continued to meet icebergs of different heights, 

 some of which, though inclined to the horizon, had 

 a piano upper surface. 



1 Ith. The fair wind from the north-west (accom- 

 panied with a light mist, rendering objects on the 

 horizon indistinct) still enabled us to pursue our 

 course southerly. Icebergs became so numerous 

 as to compel us occasionally to change our course. 

 They continued of the same character, with caverns 

 worn in their perpendicular sides, and with flat 

 tops, but the latter were now on a line with the 

 horizon. Towards (i P.M., we began to perceive 

 smaller pieces of ice, some of which were not more 

 than an eighth of a mile in length, floating as it 

 were in small patches. As the icebergs increased 

 in number, the sea became smoother, and there 

 was no apparent motion. Between 8 and 9 P.M., a 

 low point of ice was perceived ahead, and in a 

 short time we passed within it. There was now a 

 large bay before us. As the vessels moved rapidly, 

 at 10i P.M., we had reached its extreme limits, and 

 found our further progress entirely stopped by a 

 compact barrier of ice, enclosing large square ice- 

 bergs. The barrier consisted of masses closely 

 packed, and of every variety of shape and size. 

 We hove- to until full daylight. The night was 

 beautiful, and every thing seemed sunk in sleep, 

 except the sound of the distant and low rustling of 

 the ice, that now and then met the ear. We had now 

 reached the latitude of 64 11' S., longitude 164 

 30' E., and found our variation twenty-two degrees 

 easterly. One and all felt disappointed, for we 

 had flattered ourselves that the way was open for 

 further progress to the southward, and had im- 

 bibed the impression (from the extraordinary wea- 

 ther we had had at Sydney, and the reports of 

 icebergs having been seen further to the northward 

 than usual, by all the vessels arriving) that the 

 season would be an open one. What surprised me 

 most was a change in the colour of the water to an 

 olive-green, and some faint appearances resembling 

 distant land ; but as it was twilight, and I did not 

 believe the thing credible, I put no faith in these 

 indications, although some of the officers were con- 

 fident they were not occasioned by icebergs. The 

 barometer stood at 29'200 in. ; the temperature of 

 the air 33, water 32. We lay-to until four o'clock. 

 As it grew light, on the 12th, a fog set in so thick 

 that we lost sight of the Porpoise, and could not 

 hear any answer to our signals. I therefore deter- 

 mined to work along the barrier to the westward. 



We were all day beating in a thick fog, with the 

 barrier of ice close to us, and occasionally in tack- 

 ing brought it under our bow ; at other times we 

 were almost in contact with icebergs. During the 

 whole day we could not see at any time further 

 than a quarter of a mile, and seldom more than 

 the ship's length. The fog, or rather thick mist, 

 was forming in ice on our rigging. From the 

 novelty of our situation, and the excitement pro- 

 duced by it, we did not think of the danger. 



I shall now leave the Vincennes and Porpoise 

 pursuing their course to the westward with a head 

 wind, and bring the Peacock up to the barrier. 



Previously to parting company on the 3rd of 

 January, the crew of that ship had also been en- 

 gaged in building hurricane-houses, calking, and 

 chintzing, to secure them from the wet and cold. 

 After parting company, Captain Hudson imme- 

 diately steered for the first rendezvous, Macquarie 



Island, and was more fortunate than we were in 

 reaching it, although the Peacock had experienced 

 the same kind of weather that we had, and cur- 

 rents setting to the eastward. 



On approaching the island, they discovered large 

 patches of kelp, and saw numerous procellaria and 

 albatrosses about the ship. On the 10th of January 

 they made the island, and observed a reef of rocks 

 extending three-quarters of a mile off its south 

 end. Passing within a short distance of it, they 

 did not observe any of the signals of the squadron 

 flying as they had anticipated. They, notwith- 

 standing, stood in, lowered a boat, and despatched 

 several officers to put up the signal, make ex- 

 periments, and collect specimens. The boat ap- 

 proached an indentation on the west side, too open 

 to be called a bay, and found that the surf was 

 running highland beating with great violence against 

 the rocks, which, together with the kelp, rendered 

 it dangerous to attempt landing. They made for 

 several other places which looked favourable at 

 a distance, but on approaching them, they were 

 found even less accessible. The boat then re- 

 turned to the first place to make another attempt, 

 which was attended with great difficulty. The 

 boat's anchor was dropped, and she was backed in 

 with great caution to the edge of the rollers ; the 

 surf was very high, and rolled in with a noise like 

 thunder, breaking furiously upon the rocks, so as 

 to make the boat fairly tremble, and threatening 

 every moment to overwhelm her ; once or twice 

 she was prevented from getting broadside-to by 

 hauling out towards her anchor. At length, after 

 a dozen fruitless attempts, and awaiting a favour- 

 able opportunity, Mr. Eld and a quarter-master 

 succeeded in getting ashore, but not without being 

 immersed up to their breasts. It was found im- 

 possible to land any instruments; and the quarter- 

 master was despatched to erect the necessary 

 signals, while Mr. Eld proceeded to visit the pen- 

 guin-rookery not far distant. On approaching the 

 island, it had appeared to be covered with white 

 spots : these excited conjecture; but after landing, 

 the exhalations rendered it not long doubtful that 

 it was birdlime. 



Mr. Eld, in his journal, gives the following ac- 

 count of his visit : " Although I had heard so 

 often of the great quantity of birds on the un- 

 inhabited islands, I was not prepared to see them 

 in such myriads as here. The whole sides of the 

 rugged hills were literally covered with them. 

 Having passed a deep fissure in the rocks, I as- 

 cended a crag that led to what I thought was their 

 principal roost, and at every step my astonishment 

 increased. Such a din of squeaking, squalling, 

 and gabbling, I never before heard or dreamed 

 could be made by any of the feathered tribe. It 

 was impossible to hear one's self speak. It ap- 

 peared as if every one was vying with his neigh- 

 bour to make the greatest possible noise, i soon 

 found my presence particularly displeased them, 

 for they snapped at me in all directions, catching 

 hold of my trousers, shaking and pinching my flesh 

 so violently as to make me flinch and stand upon 

 the defensive. As we wanted a number of speci- 

 mens, I commenced kicking them down the pre- 

 cipice, and knocked on the head those which had 

 the temerity to attack me. After having collected 

 a number, and a few eggs, I laid them aside, whilst 

 I ascended higher on the hill. I had not left them 

 K 2 



