134 



The Vincennes enters a bay in 

 the ice-barrier. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



The Peacock spoke with. 

 Propriety of separation. 



vast level field, broken up as it were by the plough, 

 and presenting shapeless angular masses of every 

 possible figure, while here and there a table-topped 

 iceberg was enclosed. 



This night we were beating with frequent tacks, 

 in order to gain as much southing as possible. 

 Previous to its becoming broad daylight, the fog 

 rendered every thing obscure, even at a short dis- 

 tance from the ship. I knew that we were in close 

 proximity to icebergs and field-ice, but, from the 

 report of the look-out at sunset, believed that 

 there was an opening or large bay leading to the 

 southward. The ship had rapid way on her, and 

 was much tossed about, when in an instant all was 

 perfectly still and quiet; the transition was so sud- 

 den that many were awakened by it from sound 

 sleep, and all well knew, from the short experience 

 we had had, that the cessation of the sound and 

 motion usual at sea, was a proof that we had run 

 within a line of ice, an occurrence from which 

 the feeling of great danger is inseparable. The 

 watch was called by the officer of the deck, to be 

 in readiness to execute such orders as might be 

 necessary for the safety of the ship. Many of those 

 from below were seen hurrying up the hatches, and 

 those on deck straining their eyes to discover the 

 barrier in time to avoid accident. The ship 

 still moving rapidly along, some faint hope remained 

 that the bay might prove a deep one, and enable 

 me to satisfy my sanguine hopes and belief relative 

 to the land. 



The feeling is awful and the uncertainty most 

 trying thus to enter within the icy barrier blind- 

 folded as it were by an impenetrable fog, and the 

 thought constantly recurring that both ship and 

 crew were in imminent danger; yet I was satisfied 

 that nothing could be gained but by pursuing this 

 course. On we kept, until it was reported to me, 

 by attentive listeners, that they heard the low and 

 distant rustling of the ice: suddenly a dozen voices 

 proclaimed the barrier to be in sight, just ahead. 

 The ship, which a moment before seemed as if 

 unpeopled, from the stillness of all on board, was 

 instantly alive with the bustle of performing the 

 evolutions necessary to bring her to the wind, 

 which was unfavourable to a return on the same 

 track by which we had entered. After a quarter 

 of an hour, the ice was again made ahead, and the 

 full danger of our situation was realized. The ship 

 was certainly embayed ; and although the extent 

 of sea-room to which we were limited, was ren- 

 dered invisible by the dark and murky weather, 

 yet that we were closely circumscribed was evident 

 from having made the ice so soon on either tack, 

 and from the audible rustling around us. It 

 required several hours to extricate the ship from 

 this bay. 



Few are able to estimate the feelings that such 

 an occasion causes to a commander, who has the 

 responsibility of the safety of ship and crew ope- 

 rating as a heavy weight upon his heart, and 

 producing a feeling as if on the verge of some 

 overwhelming calamity. All tends to satisfy him 

 that nothing could guide him in safety through, 

 or shield from destruction those who have been 

 entrusted to his charge, but the hand of an all- wise 

 Providence. 



17th. In the morning we discovered a ship ap- 

 parently within a mile of us, to which we made 

 signal and fired a gun, but she was shortly after- 



wards lost sight of. We also saw the brig to the 

 eastward, close to_the barrier of ice. In the after- 

 noon we spoke the Peacock : she had not seen us 

 in the morning; and I should be dispensed to be- 

 lieve that the cause of her image appearing so 

 close to us in the morning was produced by re- 

 fraction above a low fog-bank ; but the usual ac- 

 companiment of such phenomena, a difference of 

 temperature below and aloft, did not exist. 



I now desired Captain Hudson to make the best 

 use of his time in exploring, as to attempt to keep 

 company would only impede our progress, and 

 without adding to our safety, might prevent the 

 opportunity of examining the barrier for an open- 

 ing. I was also satisfied that the separation would 

 be a strong incentive to exertion, by exciting rivalry 

 among the officers and crews of the different vessels. 

 This day at noon we were in latitude 66 20' S., 

 longitude 156 2' E. Many petrels, albatrosses, 

 a few whales, and a seal, were seen from the ship; 

 and the water was quite green. 



18th. The weather this day was variable, with 

 light westerly winds ; the temperature of air and 

 water 32. Occasional squalls of snow and mist 

 occurred, but it was at times clear. The water 

 was still olive-green ; and the other vessels oc- 

 casionally iu sight, beating to windward. 



On the morning of the 19th, we found ourselves 

 in a deep bay, and discovered the Peacock standing 

 to the south-west. Until eight o'clock, A.M., we 

 had a moderate breeze. The water was of a 

 darker olive-green, and had a muddy appearance. 

 Land was now certainly visible from the Vincennes, 

 both to the south- south-east and south-west, in the 

 former direction most distinctly. Both appeared 

 high. It was between eight and nine in the morn- 

 ing when I was fully satisfied that it was certainly 

 land, and my own opinion was confirmed by that 

 of some of the oldest and most experienced seamen 

 on board. The officer of the morning watch, Lieu- 

 tenant Alden, sent twice, and called my attention 

 to it. We were at this time in longitude 154 30' 

 E., latitude 66 20' S.; the day was fine, and at 

 times quite clear, with light winds. After divine 

 service, I still saw the outline of the land, unchanged 

 in form, but not so distinct as in the morning. By 

 noon, I found we were sagging on to the barrier; 

 the boats were lowered in consequence, and the 

 ship towed off. The report from aloft was, " A 

 continued barrier of ice around the bay, and no 

 opening to be seen, having the western point of it 

 bearing to the northward of west of us." I stood 

 to the westward to pass around it, fully assured 

 that the Peacock would explore all the outlines of 

 the bay. 



The Peacock, at 3 h 30 m , according to Captain 

 Hudson's journal, having got into the drift-ice, 

 with a barrier still ahead to the west, tacked to 

 the south-east to work up for an immense mass, 

 which had every appearance of land, and which 

 was believed to be such by all on board. It was 

 seen far beyond and towering above an ice-island 

 that was from one hundred and fifty to two hun- 

 dred feet in height. It bore from them about 

 south-west, and had the appearance of being three 

 thousand feet in height, forming a sort of amphi- 

 theatre, looking gray and dark, and divided into 

 two distinct ridges or elevations throughout its 

 entire extent, the whole being covered with snow. 

 As there was no probability of getting nearer to 



