THE NARRATIVE OF CHARLES WILKES. 399 
weather clear, enabling us to see a great distance. Two hours after we 
bore away we left the floe-ice, and entered a clear sea to the westward, 
where we lost sight of the barrier for a time; but in hauling up to the 
south-west it was, by 8 p.m., within three miles of us, when we again 
kept off parallel to its trending. The appearance of land still con- 
tinued. Shortly after I hove-to, for the purpose of awaiting the day- 
light, to continue our observations of the land, with little prospect or 
probability of reaching it, from the immense quantity of ice which 
continued to form an impenetrable barrier. 
13th.— At 2 am. we made sail to the south-west, in order to close 
with the barrier, which we found retreated in that direction, and gave 
us every prospect of getting nearer to it. Our course for the most 
part was through icebergs of tabular form. In the afternoon we had 
the land ahead, and stood in for it with a light breeze until 6.30 p.m., 
when I judged it to be ten or twelve miles distant. It was very dis- 
tinct, and extended from west-south-west to south-south-east. We were 
now in longitude 106° 40’ E., and latitude 65° 57’ 8.; the variation was 
54° 30' westerly. The water was very green. We sounded in 300 
fathoms, and found no bottom. The weather having an unsettled 
appearance, we stood off to seek a clearer space for the night. The 
land left was high, rounded, and covered with snow, resembling that 
first discovered, and had the appearance of being bound by perpendicular 
icy cliffs. 
14th. At daylight we again made sail for the land, beating in for it 
until 11 a.m., when we found any further progress quite impossible. I 
then judged that it was seven or eight miles distant. The day was re- 
markably clear and the land very distinct. By measurement we made the 
extent of coast of the Antarctic Continent, which was then in sight, 
seventy-five miles, and by approximate measurement 3000 feet high. 
It was entirely covered with snow. Longitude at noon 106° 18' 42” E., 
latitude 65° 59' 40" S., variation 57° 05’ westerly. On running in we had 
passed several icebergs, greatly discoloured with earth, and finding we 
could not approach the shore any nearer, I determined to land on the 
largest ice-island that seemed accessible, to make dip, intensity, and 
variation observations. On coming up with it, about one and a-half 
miles from where the barrier had stopped us, I hove the ship to, lowered 
the boats, and fortunately effected a landing. We found embedded in it 
in places, boulders, stones, gravel, sand, and mud or clay. The larger 
specimens were of red sandstone and basalt. No signs of stratification 
were to be seen in it, but it was in places formed of icy conglomerate 
(if I may use the expression), composed of large pieces of rocks, as it 
were frozen together, and the ice was extremely hard and flint-like. 
The largest boulder embedded in it was about 5 or 6 feet in diameter, 
but being situated under the shelf of the iceberg, we were not able to 
get at it. Many specimens were obtained, and it was amusing to see 
