THE JOURNAL OF JOHN BISCOE. 317 
longitude 23° 00” E. The field-ice about one mile to the southward. 
We saw several birds, which the sailors call king birds, the last two or 
three days, and which I think are of the same kind which I mistook 
for land birds a short time ago; but I understand they don’t goa long 
way from the land. 
Feb. 6.—The wind continuing light from the westward, the ice still 
continued to thicken, the motion of the water merely preventing it from 
forming in one mass, it forming itself into round patches of considerable 
diameter, and as I now saw some strange birds, which had some appear- 
ance of snipe, sitting on it, I shot three of them from the vessel, and on 
sending the boat for them, the ice was found so thick, the people could 
scarcely pull her through it. We likewise passed through several 
patches with the vessels, which absolutely stopped their way. I took 
some pieces into the boat which were nearly an inch thick, and I am 
convinced were the produce of the last 24 hours, and had we been 
becalmed one week, I am certain both vessels would have been frozen 
in fast. On filtering the ice taken up in the boat, in a temperature of 
about 45°, the salt part ran off and left a small quantity of perfectly fresh 
water, which perhaps may account for fresh water being got from ice 
formed at sea. At midnight we were obliged to haul out N. by W.4 W., 
we having stood to the southward during the day into a large bay of 
field-ice. After clearing it to the northward we again haul_d up 8.E., 
but were obliged again to haul out. During this day we steered an 
easterly course with little variation along the edge of the ice. Sawa 
Port Egmont hen flying about the ice, and which passed close over the 
vessel. The water much discoloured (but no soundings at 250 fathoms), 
and many other indications of land. Many hump and fin-backed 
whales in sight. I now found the ice tending considerably to the 
northward, but found it impossible to pass through to the southward. 
On the 8th, at noon, our latitude was 67° 12' S., and longitude by 
chronometer 27° 00" E., lunars 27° 37’ 30”, by dead reckoning 28° 44’ E., 
temperature of the air 33°, in the sun 84°, water 33°. The wind 
westerly, with fine, clear weather, the ice generally from one to five 
miles to the southward. Saw an albatross this afternoon. 
Feb. 9.—a.m. Saw aseal; the weather continuing fine with intervals 
of calm. At noon a breeze sprung up from N.E., but towards evening 
hauled more to the eastward, and during the whole of the 10th and 
11th was strong from E.8.E., with thick weather, standing off and on 
the ice, but with little progress, and I am sorry to find the daylight 
begin to shorten very fast, and fear it will be impossible to get any 
further to the southward this season, as the ice for some days has taken 
a northerly direction, running into deep bays and out into points to 
the northward. Passed some large icebergs. Saw a few of the nelly 
species, brown eaglets and snow birds. p.m. 11, made field-ice. Stood to 
the N.E. 
