THE NARRATIVE OF CHARLES WILKKS. 425 
twenty huge sea-elephants basking on the rocks, which did not seem to 
heed them; when disturbed they would only throw their carcasses 
over, open their mouths, utter a loud growl, and go to sleep again; no 
measurement was taken of them, and one which was killed could not be 
taken in the boat. The soil was soft and spongy, yielding to the pres- 
sure of the feet. The staff and signal being planted, they returned on 
board, and now passed the surf without difficulty. 
On the 12th they put away for the next rendezvous, Emerald Isle. 
They reached its position on the 14th, but nothing was seen of it ; the 
weather was thick. 
On the 16th they kept off to the southward, with the wind from the 
south-west, accompanied with sleet and snow. In latitude 61° §., longi- 
tude 164° E., they saw the first ice. The next day, the 19th of January, 
the water was very much discoloured; got a cast of the lead in 
90 fathoms: no bottom. Passed a number of icebergs that were all flat 
on the top, with perpendicular sides. 
On the 21st they made the icy barrier, in longitude 159° 36’ E. and 
latitude 65° 20'S. From the number of icebergs and the frequency of 
snow-squalls, they found great danger in running through them, although 
the water was quite smooth. 
On the 22nd the weather proved pleasant, and they followed the 
trend of the ice. The ice-islands still showed flat tops and perpendicular 
sides, and there were a number of birds, seals and whales around them. 
They were at noon in longitude 158° 27'E. On this day they were 
close by an iceberg, from the main body of which a large mass fell with 
a noise like thunder; the snow flying into the air resembled smoke, and 
the swell produced by the immersion of the fragment caused the 
schooner to roll water in on her deck. A number of large penguins 
were in sight, differing from any they had heretofore seen. 
On the 23rd the weather was pleasant, and they had light winds 
from the southward and westward. Longitude 157° 49’ E., latitude 
65° 58'S. They continued coasting along the ice in search of an 
opening. At 8 p.m. they discovered several dark spots which had the 
appearance of rocks, and on approaching the margin of the ice they 
could make them out to be such with their glasses, but they were 
situated too far within the field-ice for a boat to get near them. This day 
being fine, an opportunity was afforded of drying the deck and clothes, 
and searing the seams with a hot iron. The vessel had been very wet, 
and her decks leaked badly, notwithstanding the thorough calking and 
repairs she had received at Sydney; the crew were almost constantly 
wet, below as well as above deck. 
On the 24th they were obliged to steer again to the northward, in 
consequence of making the barrier ahead. Sea-lions were seen cn the 
ice. They continued to follow the barrier, which trended north-north- 
east; the compasses were very sluggish. On the 26th and 27th the 
