18 Voyage of Capt. Sir James C. Ross to the Antarctic. 



red being the most conspicuous. This aurora darted and quiv- 

 ered about the sky in every direction. 



March 28. — Flocks of small dark colored petrel were seen on 

 wing, which, judging by the time they occupied in passing, were 

 from four to six miles in length and two or three broad. 



March 30. — An equal temperature prevails in the ocean all 

 around the earth between 50° and 60° S. lat., and they were now 

 very near that mean as the soundings showed at various depths, 

 even to 600 fathoms, the extremes being 38°-5 and 39°-8'. 



The auroras appeared frequently and sometimes with great 



brilliancy. 



April 2. — In a calm forenoon they sounded and found bottom 



in 1440 fathoms, 8640 feet, (almost If miles.) The latitude was 

 52° 10' S., long. 136° 56' E. The weight employed on this oc- 

 casion was 336 lbs. The sun's heat was here felt in the ocean to 

 the depth of 450 fathoms or more than half a mile. The specific 

 gravity of the sea was the same below as at the surface, that 

 is 10274. 



April I). — They arrived safely at Van Diemens Land and an- 

 chored off Rossback Observatory. The crews had enjoyed per- 

 fect health and they had not lost a man. Well might they re- 

 spond with joy and gratitude to the warm congratulations of their 

 friends, and especially of their distinguished patron, Sir John 

 Franklin, the governor of the colony, who was the last to bid 

 them adieu when they departed, and the first to meet them with 

 a warm welcome on their happy return. 



Here closes the first volume, we continue on with the second. 



Van Diemens Land or Tasmania, 1841. — April to July. 

 Magnetic Observations. — The portable observatories of the ships 

 were set up on shore and their instruments were carefully com- 

 pared with those of the fixed observatory. The plan of observ- 

 ations was changed after the term day of February, in conse- 

 quence of new instructions. 



Fossil Trees are among the most interesting objects in this 

 island. They are found in the Derwent valley, and are thus de- 

 scribed by Count Strzelecki :* — "No where to my knowledge is 

 the aspect of fossil wood more magnificent than in the Derwent 

 valley, and no where is the original structure of the tree better 

 preserved ; while the outside presents a homogeneous and a hard 

 glossy surface, variegated with colored stripes, like a barked pine, 

 the interior, composed of distinct concentric layers, apparently 

 compact and homogeneous, may be nevertheless separated into 



longitudinal fibres, which are susceptible of division into almost 



hair-like filaments. 77 



* Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemens Land London, 

 1845. 





