414 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
found the prevailing wind, viz. that from the westward; in this, how- 
ever, he was mistaken. 
The 28th set in with a light breeze from east-north-east; made all 
sail. At 5 a.m. wind increasing rapidly, snow falling fast, and weather 
becoming thick. At 6 o’clock made the floe and drift-ice; shortened 
sail and hauled off to the north-west, it becoming so thick as to render 
any advance unsafe. Until meridian very strong winds from the east- 
ward; the brig under close-reefed topsails. At 2 p.m. found it difficult 
and hazardous to proceed, passing within a short distance of ice-islands, 
and just seeing them dimly through obscurity. At three the brig was 
hove-to, and Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold says, in reference to 
their situation :— , 
“T felt great anxiety to proceed, but the course was so perilous, the 
extent and trend of the barrier so uncertain, I could not reconcile it 
with prudence to advance. The frequent falling in with fields of drift- 
ice, the numerous and often closely grouped chains of icebergs, were 
sufficient to point out discretion. The long-extended barrier was en- 
countered in latitude 65° 08’ 8.; at 12 to-day our position was 65° 16’ §. 
It is easy to perceive the possibility of a trend northerly again, which 
would have placed us in a large and dangerous gulf, with a heavy gale 
blowing directly on, without a hope of escape. 
“At 8 p.m. blowing very heavy; the snow falling rendered vision 
beyond a few yards impossible. I have seldom experienced a heavier 
blow, and towards the conclusion the squalls were severe and frequent.” 
The barometer at 3 a.m. stood at 28-200 in., the lowest point it 
reached during the gale. The temperature of the air was 26°. 
The severe gale continued during the 29th, with a heavy sea, and 
snow falling thickly. At 8a.m. the gale abated, and the clouds broke 
away; through the day the sun occasionally out; the weather appeared 
unsettled ; the sun set red and fiery ; the latitude was observed 64° 46'S., 
longitude 137° 16’ E. 
On the 30th they stood again to the south-west; at 2 am. they 
made the barrier of field-ice, extending from south-east to west, when 
it became necessary to haul more to the north-west; the weather be- 
coming thick with a heavy fall of snow, at four o’clock, the wind in- 
creasing, compelled them to shorten sail; at 7.30 the ice in fields was 
discovered close aboard, heading west; at this time hauled immediately 
on a wind to the north-east, and soon passed out of sight of the ice and 
out of danger; during the day blowing a gale of wind, and very heavy 
sea running, passing occasional ice-islands; at meridian, being clear of 
the barrier, the brig was hove-to under storm-sails, to await the clearing 
of the weather. In the afternoon the weather showed signs of clearing ; 
the sun coming out, again made sail to approach the barrier; no ice in 
sight; great numbers of black petrels about. 
At 4 p.m. discovered a ship ahead, and shortly after another was 
