82 



THE ANTARCTIC. 



Philippe Land was seen, the highest summit being re- 

 garded by Wilkes as identical with the Mount Hope of 

 the seal-hunters, and consequently not to be claimed as 

 a discovery of his own. Great masses of ice rendered a 

 nearer approach to the land impossible, and Wilkes 

 therefore missed seeing the Orleans channel, so that 

 Louis- Philippe Land seemed to him to be the extreme 

 east of Palmer Land. Without any further attempt to 



Charles Wilkes. 



get nearer land, Wilkes now returned to Orange Harbour, 

 taking the channel between Elephant and Clarence 

 Islands. 



According to Wilkes' directions, Johnson first made 

 for Deception Island, where he remained a week, occu- 

 pied with observations of a general nature and an ex- 

 ploration of the island, at that time in a state of great 

 fumarole activity. The Sea Gull again left these waters 



