344 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
transporting power of ice.* We will, therefore, only add that this ice- 
berg was distant 1400 miles from the nearest certainly known land, namely, 
Enderby’s Land, which bore W.S.W. of it. But it is highly probable, 
from the compact nature of the ice, etc., that land extends between the 
parallels of 66° and 68°S.,in which case the iceberg would not be distant 
above 300 miles from this supposed land. The appearance of land seen 
by Captain Balleny on the 3rd of March, as above mentioned, bore from 
the iceberg E.8.E., distant 450 miles. 
On the following day the two vessels crossed the track of our great 
circumnavigator Cook in 1773, and continuing to the north-westward, 
they on the 18th, in latitude 58°, longitude 95° 15’, crossed the route of 
Bellingshausen in 1820. On the 21st, in latitude 55°, the autumnal 
equinox of these latitudes was rendered brilliant by a magnificent 
display of the Aurora Australis. Numerous icebergs in sight, with 
penguins and various sea birds. They now crossed Biscoe’s track in 
April 1831, being the third of the parallel routes, all running to the 
E.N.E., which occur here within about 5° of latitude ; and on the follow- 
ing day encountered a strong gale of wind from the west, with a heavy 
sea running. In the afternoon of the 24th the gale had much increased. 
At midnight the cutter Sabrina burnt a blue light, distant 1 mile to the 
S.S.E.; this was answered immediately with another by the schooner, 
but the sea was running so high that she could not close the cutter. 
March 25.—Strong gales and squally weather, the vessel labouring 
and pitching violently. At daylight, says Captain Balleny’s journal, 
“No signs of the poor cutter being in sight; I trust she may be safe.” 
At 9a heavy sea broke on board the schooner, staving both boats, and 
sweeping everything from the decks and laying the vessel on her beam 
ends; for ten minutes she appeared to be settling in the water, but she 
gradually righted, and on sounding the well did not appear to be making 
much water. At noon, blowing a heavy gale from the west, with dark 
cloudy weather. Latitude by account, 52° 15’; longitude, 94° 15’ E. 
On the following day the gale moderated, and the schooner was 
enabled to stand to the northward, with the wind from the N.W. In 
latitude 49° they passed a quantity of seaweed, and were surrounded 
by numerous penguins, divers, and other sea birds. On the 1st April the 
Eliza Scott crossed the parallel of 45°, standing towards the Mozambique 
channel ; and on the 17th September again reached the port of London, 
just in time to supply another Antarctic expedition, on the eve of its 
departure from England, with the information they had been enabled 
to obtain of a newly-discovered group of islands in the South Frozen 
Ocean. 
On looking at the excellent south circumpolar chart, just published 
* See Mr. Murchison’s ‘ Silurian System,’ p. 541, who notices the great range of ice- 
bergs as seen by Captain Vernon Harcourt, R.N., in latitude 50° 8. Also Mr. Bennett’s 
voyage in the ‘Geographical Journal,’ vol. vii. p. 212. 
