404 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
tenths lower than we had had it for the last twelve days. The wind 
was easterly. ‘ 
19th.—During this day the barrier trended more to the north-east, 
and we not unfrequently entered bays so deep as to find ourselves, on 
reaching the extremity, cut off by the barrier, and compelled to return 
to within a few miles of the place where we had entered. I thought 
at first that this might have been caused by the tide or current, but 
repeated trials showed none. Neither did I detect any motion in the 
floating ice except what was caused by the wind. Our longitude to-day 
was 101° E., latitude 63° 02'S. Some anxiety seemed to exist among 
the officers and crew lest we should find ourselves embayed or cut off 
from the clear sea by a line of barrier. There appeared strong reason 
for this apprehension, as the smooth sea we had had for several days 
still continued, we had been sailing as if upon a river, and the water 
had not assumed its blue colour. 
It was, therefore, with great pleasure that on the 20th a slight swell 
was perceived, and the barrier began to trend more to the northward, 
and afterwards again to the westward. In the morning we found our- 
selves still surrounded by great numbers of ice-islands. After obtaining 
a tolerably clear space, the day being rather favourable, we sounded 
with the deep-sea line 850 fathoms; Six’s thermometer gave at the sur- 
face 31°, and at the depth of 850 fathoms 35°, an increase of four degrees. 
The current was again tried, but none was found. A white object was 
visible at 11 fathoms. The water had now assumed a bluish cast. 
We endeavoured to-day to land on an iceberg, but there was too 
much sea. Shrimps were in great quantities about it, but swam too 
deep to be taken. The wind again hauled to the westward, which dis- 
appointed me, as I was in hopes of getting to the position where Cook 
saw the ice in 1773, being now nearly in the same latitude. It was less 
than 100 miles to the westward of us, and little doubt can exist that its 
situation has not changed materially in sixty-seven years. 
The observations of the squadron during this season’s Antarctic 
cruise, together with those of the preceding year, would seem to confirm 
the opinion that very little change takes place in the line of ice. It 
may be inferred that the line of perpetual congelation exists in a lower 
latitude in some parts of the southern hemisphere than in others. The 
icy barrier retreats several degrees to the south of the Antarctic Circle 
to the west of Cape Horn, while to the eastward it in places advances to 
the northward of that line, which is no doubt owing to the situation of 
the land. From the great quantities of ice to be found drifting in all 
parts of the ocean in high southern latitudes, I am induced to believe 
that the formation of the ice-islands is much more rapid than is generally 
supposed. The manner of their formation claimed much of my attention 
while among them, and I think it may be explained satisfactorily and 
without difficulty. In the first place, I conceive, that ice requires a 
