150 



Proceedings of the Porpoise. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Proceedings of the Porpoise. 



and considered myself amply repaid for my im- 

 paired health by the important discoveries we had 

 made, and the success that had attended our 

 exertions. 



I shall now leave the Vincennes to pursue her 

 route northward, and return to the Porpoise, the 

 result of whose proceedings will be detailed in the 

 following chapter. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE (CONTINUED). 



PROCEEDINGS OP THE PORPOISE FROM THE TWENTY-SECOND TO THE THIRTIETH OF JANUARY FRENCH SaUADRON 

 SEEN ITS COMMANDER REFUSES TO SPEAK THE PORPOISE PROCEEDINGS UP TO THE THIRD OF FEBRUARY 

 GALE FURTHER PROCEEDINGS TO THE TWELFTH OF FEBRUARY SPECIMENS OF ROCK OBTAINED WESTERN 

 LIMIT OF HER CRUISE RETURN TO THE EASTWARD PORPOISE STANDS TO THE NORTHWA RD AUCKLAND 

 ISLANDS PORPOISE ARRIVES AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS CRUISE OF THE FLYING-FISH LANDING AT MAC- 

 UI'ARIE'S ISLAND PROCEEDINGS OF THE FLYING-FISH UP TO THE FOURTH OF FEBRUARY STATE OF HKR 

 CREW THEIR LETTER TO LIEUTENANT PINKNEY HE RESOLVES TO RETURN ARRIVAL OF THE FLYING-FISH 

 AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS EVENTS DURING THE RETURN OF THE VINCENNES SHE FAILS TO REACH VAN 

 DIEMEN'S LAND ARRIVAL OF THE VINCENNES AT SYDNEY PEACOCK FOUND THERE RETURN OF THE PEACOCK 

 FROM THE ICY BARRIER SHE MAKES MACQUARIE's ISLAND SHE ARRIVES AT SYDNEY STATE OF THE PEACOCK 

 HOSPITALITIES RECEIVED AT SYDNEY. 



ON the 22ud January, 1840, the Porpoise lost 

 sight of the Peacock, and continued beating to the 

 south-west. The weather was extremely cold; sea- 

 water froze on being a few minutes in the bucket 

 on deck. Some shrimps were caught. The water 

 at 3 P.M. was much discoloured ; got a cast of the 

 lead with two hundred fathoms: no bottom; found 

 the current south-by-east three-fourths of a mile 

 per hour. At 4 h 30 m , passed large icebergs, one of 

 which had several dark horizontal veins, appa- 

 rently of earth, through it; large quantities of floe 

 and drift-ice to the southward; the sea very smooth. 

 A report of high land was made this morning ; in- 

 deed every thing indicated the proximity of land. 

 The number of seals, whales, penguins, shrimps, 

 &c., had very much increased. The pure white 

 pigeons were also seen in numbers. 



23rd. Countless icebergs in sight ; the sea quite 

 smooth ; not the slightest motion perceptible. At 

 meridian, they were in latitude 66 44' S., longitude 

 151 24' E., and close to the barrier, which ap- 

 peared quite impenetrable, as far as the eye could 

 reach from aloft, to the north-north-west and north- 

 north-east, with numberless immense ice-islands 

 entangled and enclosed in it in all directions. The 

 position they occupied seemed an inlet of elliptical 

 shape, with an opening to the north. It was need- 

 less to count the many scattering islands of ice 

 distinct from the vast chain ; intermingled with 

 field-ice, they studded the gulf like so many islands, 

 of various shapes and dimensions. At 2 h 25 m , a 

 sail was discovered on the lee bow ; kept off to 

 communicate, supposing it to be the Vincennes or 

 Peacock. At 2 h 30 m , the Peacock was made out 

 on the southern board, showing no disposition to 

 communicate ; showed our colours, and hauled to 

 the westward. 



24th. The day was remarkably fine, such as is 

 seldom experienced in this region. The water ap- 

 peared much discoloured and of a dirty olive-green 

 colour. At meridian, they again made the field- 

 ice, and tacked to the northward, passing through 

 large quantities of ice-islands ; weather looking 

 bad, with occasional light snow-storms. 



25th. Part of this day was clear and pleasant, 



though snow fell at intervals ; the field-ice was in 

 sight several times, and many ice-islands of great 

 size and beauty. Penguins were swimming round, 

 and also several shoals of black-fish ; a black 

 albatross was shot ; towards night the weather 

 became very thick; they were in longitude 150 E., 

 latitude 65 56' S. 



26th. Fresh winds blowing from the eastward ; 

 during the first few hours, a thick snow-storm ; at 

 4 A.M. it cleared ; at six o'clock made a sail ; the 

 strange sail fired a gun and made signal, when 

 we bore down and spoke her ; she proved to be 

 the Vincennes ; compared chronometers, and re- 

 ceived rate ; bore off to the westward under all 

 sail ; found the drift and floe-ice very thick, and 

 were with great difficulty enabled to navigate 

 through it ; wind fresh, with a long swell from the 

 south-west; at6 h 30 m , the ice inci-easing in quantity, 

 found it was necessary to haul off. Lost sight of 

 the Vincennes ; weather very threatening. The 

 course during the day proved a very tortuous one; 

 many penguins resting on the ice ; their gait is an 

 awkward kind of strut. 



Received orders to-day by signal to meet the 

 Vincennes along the icy barrier between the 20th 

 and 28th of next month. 



27th. This day proved clear and cold ; wind 

 from the south-west ; ice forming rapidly on the 

 vessel ; at meridian, lost sight of the Vincennes ; 

 very many ice-islands in sight ; latitude 65 41' S., 

 longitude 142 31' E. On this day, Lieutenant- 

 Commandant Ringgold determined with the fair 

 wind to pass to the extreme limit of his orders, 

 longitude 105 E. ; being of opinion he would 

 thereby save time, and be enabled more effectually 

 to examine the barrier with what he thought would 

 be found the prevailing wind, viz. that from the 

 westward ; in this, however, he was mistaken. 



The 28th set in with a light breeze from east- 

 north-east ; made all sail ; at 5 A .M., wind increas- 

 ing rapidly, snow falling fast, and whether becom- 

 ing thick ; at six o'clock, made the floe and drift- 

 ice ; shortened sail, and hauled off to the north-west, 

 it becoming so thick as to render any advance un- 

 safe ; until meridian, very strong winds from the. 



