126 THE ANTARCTIC. 



9th of November the first iceberg was seen in latitude 

 6o° 59/ S. and longitude 57° 12' W. ; then a southerly 

 course was taken, steering close to Elephant Island, con- 

 stantly surrounded by drift-ice, which towards the east 

 grew more and more like pack, especially in latitude 63^° 

 to 64^° S. On the 16th of November the vessel was 

 near Seymour Island, upon which a landing was made ; 

 but Larsen from this point steered east, seeking for seals 

 along the edge of the pack-ice. He continued this course 

 till the 23rd of November as far as longitude 47° 32' W. 

 in latitude 63° 22' S., when, discouraged by his ill-success 

 in seal-hunting, he returned to the west as far as longitude 

 53° W., in order subsequently to steer due south-west. 

 In the face of numerous huge icebergs, the highest lati- 

 tude attained by Ross in January and February, 1843, 

 was soon crossed, the sea being nearly free from ice. 

 Land was distinctly seen in the west in clear weather, 

 and on the evening of the 29th of November open 

 water was everywhere seen to the south after crossing 

 the 65th parallel of southern latitude. On the 1st of 

 December the ship was near the fixed ice by which the 

 newly-discovered land was surrounded. Larsen named 

 it King Oscar II. Land, and a mountain partly free from 

 ice at its foot was called Jason Mountain ; its eastern 

 promontory, three or four miles distant from the ship 

 while in latitude 66° 4' S. and longitude 59° 40' W., was 

 named Cape Framnces. On the days following, the 

 Jason continued her southerly course along the ice barrier 

 enclosing the coast line. On the further side the ice- 

 covered land rose gradually and without any inequality 

 of surface towards the interior. After the Antarctic circle 

 had been crossed on the 3rd of December, the vessel, 

 steaming along in sight of land, attained its highest lati- 

 tude of 68° 10' S. in longitude 59° 59' W. on the evening 

 of the 6th of December. Owing to the dense, unbroken 

 ice encountered here, it became impossible to continue 



