398 Miscellanies. 



closely embayed, and unable to proceed in a westerly direction ; the ice 

 barrier trending around to the northward and eastward, compelled us to 

 retrace our steps. We had entered a deep gulf on its southern side, and 

 it required four days beating along its northern shore to get out of it. Du- 

 ring this time our position was critical, the weather changeable, and little 

 room in case of bad weather. It fortunately held up until we found our- 

 selves again with a clear sea to the northward. 



The ice barrier had now trended to about sixty-two degrees of latitude; 

 the wind having set in from the westward with dark weather, and little 

 prospect of seeing the land or making much progress to the westward 

 prior to the 1st of March, thereby losing time which might be spent to ad- 

 vantage for our whaling interests at New Zealand, I determined to pro- 

 ceed to the north on the evening of the 21st. 



There was a brilliant appearance of the aurora australis on the 17th 

 February, in Ion. 97' 39' E., lat. 64° S.; also on the 22d Feb. in 103° 

 30' E., lat. 58' 10' S. ; on the 25th Feb. in 117° 31' E., lat. 53° S. ; and 

 on the 1st March, in Ion. 147° E., lat. 49° 30 S. 



The result stated in this report leads me to the following conclusions : — 



1st. From our discoveries of the land through forty degrees of longitude, 

 and the observations made during this interesting cruise, with the simi- 

 larity of formation and position of the ice during our close examination of 

 it, I consider there can scarcely be doubt of the existence of the Antarctic 

 continent, extending the whole distance of seventy degrees from east to 

 west. 



2d. That different points of the land are at times free from the ice 

 barrier. 



3d. That they are frequented by seal, many of which were seen, and 

 offer to our enterprising countrymen engaged in those pursuits, a field of 

 large extent for their future operations. 



4Lh. That the large number of whales, of different species, seen, and 

 the quantity of food for them, would designate this coast as a place of 

 great resort for them. The fin-backed whale seemed to predominate. 



We proceeded on our cruise to the northward and eastward with strong 

 gales, until we reached the latitude of certain islands laid down on the 

 charts as the Royal Company's Islands, about six degrees to the west- 

 ward of their supposed locality ; I then stood on their parallel and passed 

 over their supptfsed site, but we saw nothing of them, or any indication of 

 land in the vicinity. I feel confident, as far as respects their existence in or 

 near the longitude or parallel assigned them, to assert that they do not exist. 



The last ice island was seen in latitude 51° south. A kw specimens 

 of natural history were obtained and preserved during the cruise. 



As I conceive it would be unbecoming in me to speak of our arduous 

 services, the report and accompanying chart of our cruise must speak for 

 us ; but I cannot close this report without bringing to your notice the 



