384 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
CHAPTER X. 
Anrarcric OruisE—continued. 
1840. 
Proceedings of the Vincennes from the 22nd of January—Disappointment Bay— 
Watering on the ice—Diagrams of the ice-islands—Their utility—Violent gale and 
snow-storm— Narrow escape from striking the ice—The open sea reached—Return 
of fine weather— Vincennes stands again to the south and reaches the icy barrier— 
Piner’s Bay — Soundings in 30 fathoms— Another violent gale — Report of the 
medical officers—Opinion of the ward-room officers—Determination to proceed with 
the cruise—The events up to the 14th of February—Landing on an iceberg—Speci- 
mens of rocks obtained—Inquiry in relation to the formation of icebergs—Their 
separation from the land—Their progress—Further evidence in relation to the 
Antarctic continent—Estimate of the rate at which the floating ice moves—The 
Vincennes begins her return to the north. 
In taking up the narrative of the disaster sustained by the Peacock, with 
which the preceding chapter closes, the Vincennes and Porpoise were left 
on the 22nd of January. On that day the Vincennes passed the place 
through which the Peacock entered, as has been related, on the 23rd, 
and found no opening. To judge from the manner in which the ice 
moved during the time the Peacock was enclosed in it, I am inclined to 
ascribe the alternate opening and closing of the passage into the bay to 
a tide setting along this coast. In support of this opinion it is sufficient 
to state that the strength of the winds experienced on board that vessel 
was at no time sufficient to account for the manner in which the ice was 
found to move. 
About 30 miles to the westward of this point the Vincennes passed a 
remarkable collection of tabular icebergs, for whose existence I can 
account in no other manner than by supposing them to be attached to a 
rocky islet, which formed a nucleus, to which they adhered. It was 
quite obvious that they had not been formed in the place where they 
were seen, and must, therefore, have grounded after being adrift. 
On the 23rd of January, after passing around this group of icebergs, 
the sea was found comparatively clear, and a large open space showed 
itself to the southward. Into this space the course of the Vincennes was 
immediately directed. While thus steering to the south, the appearance 
of land was observed on either hand, both to the eastward and westward. 
Pursuing this course, we by midnight reached the solid barrier, and 
all approach to the Jand on the east and west was entirely cut off by the 
close packing of the icebergs. I was therefore reluctantly compelled to 
return, not a little vexed that we were again foiled in our endeavour to 
reach the Antarctic continent. This was a deep indentation in the coast, 
about 25 miles wide; we explored it to the depth of about 15 miles, and 
