THE JOURNAL OF JOHN BISCOE. 309 
four miles from the land. Sent the cutter in with the boats to explore 
it. The thermometer, while close under the land, was in the air 29°, 
water 31°. The wind 8. by W. 
At 8 p.m. the boats returned, not having observed the least trace 
of seal or elephant, or even been able to find a landing place, as 
the rock was quite steep to, and no soundings with the hand lead, 
and nothing to be seen on shore but penguins, which were in great 
numbers. No birds near the vessel with the exception of some spotted 
eaglets or Cape pigeons. While lying to for the boats, I observed 
another island bearing from about N. by W. thirty or forty miles, but 
as it had the same appearance with the other, i.e. a complete snow bank, 
I would not lose time in going to it, but filled and stood to the S.E., 
there being the appearance of land in that quarter. No land in sight. 
Weather rather hazy. Smooth water, with the wind from S8.W. to west. 
Latitude by observation at noon, 58° 52’ §.; longitude by means of 
chronometers, 25° 45’ 30” W.; thermometer, air 30°, water 32°. Passed 
many large icebergs and drift-ice. 
Dec. 24.—At 1 p.m. observed ourselves close down upon field-ice, and 
much drift-ice about us. Weather hazy. The wind W.S.W.; tacked 
until it should clear away. At 3 made sail to the 8.E., and continued 
running about a quarter of a mile from the edge of a solid field of ice 
until 4 p.m., steering various courses to pass through to the southward, 
but invariably found ourselves in a bay. The water perfectly smooth, 
with the wind westerly. At 5 p.m. found an opening, and at 6 passed 
through to the southward into a clear sea. Saw many penguins sitting 
on the small pieces of ice, which were several times mistaken at a 
distance for seal. Some blue petrel about us, but no large birds. 8 p.m. 
several icebergs in sight. 
Dec. 25.—At 1 a.m. again made field-ice ahead, but after making a 
board to the N.W., passed through to the southward, when in a very 
short time I found we had got into a small sea of seven or eight miles 
diameter, interspersed with small icebergs and drift-ice, the field-ice 
making a complete coast as far as the eye could reach. After making 
various courses, and tacking to pass to the southward and westward in 
hopes to get through betwixt the ice and the land (as I imagined there 
must be a little further to the westward), finding it impossible, I got 
the vessels through to the northward, when we had clear sea until 
8 p.m., with the exception of icebergs and some drift pieces, when we 
again made compact field-ice ahead, which I took to be the same we 
had been running along on the 23rd, it being evident there were 
two distinct patches of field-ice, and upon the most moderate calcula- 
tion we had run through and along one hundred miles of it, being 
convinced now that there was considerable land to the $.W., and 
determined, if possible, to make it before going to the eastward. I 
continued plying to the westward, and not meeting with any field-ice 
