140 



The Vincennes among the 

 icebergs. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



The Vincennes among the 

 icebergs. 



confidence in proceeding, for I had a tolerable 

 chart to retreat by in case of need, at least for a 

 few hours, during which time I had reason to be- 

 lieve that there was not much probability of the 

 icebergs changing their relative positions. 



The dip observed on the ice was 87 30', and the 

 variation 12 46' easterly. The compasses were 

 found to be very sluggish, having but little hori- 

 zontal directive force. 



About half an hour after we cast off from the 

 iceberg, a thick snow-storm came up, with the 

 wind from the south-east. Although there were 

 very many ice-islands around us, on our way out, 

 I felt that I understood the ground well, having 

 passed over it twice, and knowing I had a space of 

 a few miles, only thinly sprinkled with icebergs, I 

 hove-to with shortened sail. This was the first 

 south-east wind we had had since being on this 

 coast. I had been disappointed in not finding it 

 from that quarter before ; for I had been informed, 

 by those who had navigated in high southern 

 latitudes, that south-east would be the prevailing 

 wind, and would be attended with fine weather. 

 Now, however, with a fair wind, I was unable to 

 run, for the weather was unfavourable. 



At 6 A.M. on the 26th, we again made sail, and 

 at 8 A.M. we discovered the Porpoise, to whom we 

 made signals to come within hail. We found them 

 all well, and compared chronometers. 



As it still blew fresh from the south-east, and 

 the weather became a little more clear, we both 

 bore away, running through much drift-ice, at the 

 rate of nine knots an hour. We had the barrier 

 in sight ; it was, however, too thick to see much 

 beyond it. Sailing in this way I felt to be ex- 

 tremely hazardous; but our time was so short for 

 the examination of this icy coast, that while the 

 barrier was to be seen, I deemed it my duty to 

 proceed. We fortunately, by good look-outs, and 

 carefully conning the ship, were enabled to avoid 

 any heavy thumps. 



On the 27th, we again had the wind from south- 

 south-west. The floe-ice had become so thick, 

 that we found it impossible to get through it in the 

 direction I wished to go, and we were compelled to 

 pass round it. The Porpoise was in sight until 

 noon. The weather proved beautifully clear. A 

 long range of tabular icebergs was in sight to the 

 southward, indicating, as I have before observed, 

 that the coast was near. I passed through these, 

 losing sight of the Porpoise to the north-west about 

 noon, when we were in longitude 142 40' E., lati- 

 tude 65 54' 21" S., variation 5 8' easterly. 



On the 28th, I found myself completely sur- 

 rounded by the tabular icebergs, through which 

 we continued to pass. Towards midnight the wind 

 shifted to the south-east, and enabled me to haul 

 more to the southward. At 9| A.M. we had another 

 sight of the land ahead, and every prospect of 

 Hearing it, with a fine breeze. The sight of the 

 icebergs around us, all of large dimensions, was 

 beautiful. The greatest number in sight at one 

 time was noted, and found to be more than a hun- 

 dred, varying from a quarter of a mile to three 

 miles in length. We took the most open route, 

 and by eleven o'clock had run upwards of forty 

 miles through them. We had the land now in 

 plain view, but the weather soon began to thicken 

 and the breeze to freshen. At noon it was so thick 

 that every thing was hidden, and no observation 



was obtained. The ship was hove-to, but shortly 

 after again put under way, making several tacks 

 to keep my position, which I felt was becoming a 

 critical one, in case a gale should ensue. I there- 

 fore looked carefully over my chart, and was sur- 

 prised at the vast number of icebergs that appeared 

 on it. At 2 P.M. the barometer began to fall, and 

 the weather to change for the worse. At 5 P.M. a 

 gale was evidently coming one, so we took three 

 reefs in the topsails. It appeared now that certain 

 wreck would ensue, should we remain where we 

 were ; and after much consideration, I made up 

 my mind to retrace my way, and seek the open 

 space forty miles distant, taking for a landmark a 

 remarkable berg that had been the last entered 

 on the chart, and which would be a guide to my 

 course out. I therefore stood for its position. The 

 weather was so thick, that it was necessary to run 

 close to it, to be quite sure of recognizing it, for 

 on this seemed to depend our safety. About the 

 estimated time we would take to pass over the 

 distance, an iceberg was made (we were within 

 one thousand feet of it) which, at first view, I felt 

 confident was the one sought, but was not alto- 

 gether satisfied afterwards. I therefore again con- 

 sulted my chart, and became more doubtful of it. 

 Just at that moment I was called on deck by an 

 officer, who informed me that there were icebergs 

 a short distance ahead ! Such proved to be the 

 case; our path was beset with them, and it was 

 evident we could not regain our route. To return 

 was worse, so having but little choice left, I deter- 

 mined to keep on. To encounter these icebergs so 

 soon after seeing the other, was in some respects 

 satisfactory, for it removed all doubts, and showed 

 me that we were riot near the track by which we 

 entered. Nothing, therefore, was to be done but 

 to keep a good look-out, and the ship under suffi- 

 cient way to steer well. My safest plan was to 

 keep as near our former track as possible, believing 

 it to be most free of these masses. 



At 8 P.M. it began to blow very hard, with a 

 violent snow-storm, circumscribing our view, and 

 rendering it impossible to see more than two 

 ship's-lengths ahead. The cold was severe, and 

 every spray that touched the ship was immediately 

 converted into ice. At 9 P.M., the barometer still 

 falling and the gale increasing, we reduced sail to 

 close-reefed fore and main-topsails, reefed foresail 

 and trysails, under which we passed numerous ice- 

 bergs, some to windward, and some to leeward of 

 us. At 10 11 30 m , we found ourselves thickly beset 

 with them, and had many narrow escapes; the ex- 

 citement became intense ; it required a constant 

 change of helm to avoid those close aboard; and 

 we were compelled to press the ship with canvas 

 in order to escape them, by keeping her to wind- 

 ward. We thus passed close along their weather 

 sides, and distinctly heard the roar of the surf 

 dashing against them. We had, from time to time, 

 glimpses of their obscure outline, appearing as 

 though immediately above us. After many escapes, 

 I found the ship so covered with ice, and the watch 

 so powerless in managing her, that a little after 

 midnight, on the 29th, I had all hands called. 

 Scarcely had they been reported on deck, when it 

 was made known to me that the gunner, Mr. Wil- 

 liamson, had fallen, broken his ribs, and otherwise 

 injured himself, on the icy deck. 



The gale at this moment was awful. We found 



