324 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
anything in their hands for more than a minute or two at a time. Our 
larboard quarter-boat was washed away. Our bulwarks, starboard 
quarter-boats, quarter-deck rail stove in, the boats being up at least 
above four feet above rail cloths, but by the blessing of God we drove 
clear of all the icebergs, only seeing one close on our weather bow, our 
head the whole time of the gale from E.N.E. to N.E., and had we fallen 
a little to windward of any large iceberg, or any quantity of field-ice, 
must have all inevitably perished, as the vessel was unmanageable, and 
when the weather moderated on the morning of the 8th, left us almost 
a wreck. At 8 am. wore round to the southward. At noon our 
latitude by observation, 63° 49’, longitude 47° 00' 00” K., having made a 
drift of 120 miles N.N.W. during the gale. p.m. The weather still 
wearing a threatening appearance, the wind at N.E. I stood to the 
southward under easy sail, not to run the risk of being caught on a lee 
shore should it blow hard from the northward. I have had several men 
hurt [and] have now four or five on my list for cure. I am under much 
apprehension for the cutter, as I think this is the hardest blow I have 
ever known with the exception of the hurricane of 1814. 
From the 8th to the 14th, strong S.E. gales, with generally one in 
24 hours, a few hours interval of calms. Snow and sleet in great 
abundance nearly the whole time, so that when we had a few hours fair 
wind the weather was too thick to make much way towards the land, as 
the gales succeeded the calms very suddenly. 
March 15.—p.m. Dry weather. Passed very close to large piece of 
ice about a ship’s length, but thank God cleared it safely. At noon, 
latitude 64° 43' §., thermometer shade 25°, wind 8.W. by 8. Clear 
weather. 
March 16.—Stood to the southward. Latitude, at noon, 65° 16'; 
longitude, dead reckoning, 49° 27’ E.; temperature, air 24°, water 30°. 
pm. It freshened to a gale at S.E. Wore to the northward. At mid- 
night stood to the southward, the weather being moderate, and at 8 a.m. 
saw the land bearing south by compass, which was a very high mountain. 
Cape Ann was shortly after observed to bear 8.W. At 6 p.m. made 
field-ice, and thick clusters of icebergs ahead, and 4 points on each bow, 
but am sorry to say could see nothing of the cutter. Our latitude at 
this time was 65° 44’S., longitude 50° 09' E. Cape Ann W. byS. High 
land about ten leagues south by compass. Temperature, air 99°. 
water 29°. Wind, N.E. and moderate, and as I observed little or no 
difference in the position of the field-ice since the S.E. gales, I feel 
myself absolutely obliged to give up all further pursuit in this part. The 
land inaccessible, heavy gales frequent every day, some of the people 
getting sick, the carpenter for some time past having lost the use of his 
legs, and two others at this time in the same situation, and two or three 
more under medicine for the same complaint, although every attention 
has been paid to their health and comfort. The vessel is very uncom- 
