HISTORY OF DISCO VERY. 81 



the palm to Balleny who also saw D'Urville's Cote Clarie, 

 although he subsequently concluded it to be merely a 

 cloud bank, while he certainly found Sabrina Land 

 farther west. Of this fact D'Urville could not possibly 

 have any knowledge, as Balleny did not return to 

 Europe till the autumn of 1839, when his discoveries 

 were made known, and the news could not have reached 

 Tasmania and Australia by the time D'Urville and 

 Wilkes started for the higher southern latitudes. Neither 

 was Wilkes' attempt his first in these waters ; like 

 D'Urville he had begun his exploration of Antarctic land 

 and sea from the south of Cape Horn, and the chrono- 

 logical order of discovery necessitates an account of his 

 first Antarctic voyage. 



After an exploration of the coasts of Tierra del 

 Fuego, Wilkes had assembled his squadron in Orange 

 Harbour and divided his forces so that he himself on 

 board the Porpoise, and the Sea Gull under Lieutenant 

 Johnston were to explore the South Shetland Isles as 

 well as Palmer and Trinity Land, while the Peacock 

 under Captain Hudson, and the Flying Fish under 

 Lieutenant Walker, set out for the waters to the west of 

 Graham's Land and Alexander Land. Wilkes doubtless 

 deprived himself of a great portion of the success he, and 

 especially the two latter ships, might have achieved by 

 postponing his voyage to the very end of February, 

 1838. The voyage of the Porpoise and the Sea Gull 

 contains no event of any importance. On the 1st of 

 March Wilkes met the first icebergs, and shortly after- 

 wards land came in sight, the small Riddley Isles, the 

 out-posts of the northern point of King George Island, 

 the easternmost of the actual South Shetland Isles. The 

 next day, Bridgeman Island was passed in foggy weather. 

 It was in a state of volcanic activity and the sulphurous 

 fumes emitted were distinctly perceived as they were 



carried by the wind. On the 3rd of March, Louis- 



6 



