426 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
weather became bad, with the wind to the northward and westward, 
accompanied by a heavy fall of snow: in the evening of the latter day 
the wind hauled to the southward and westward, and brought clear 
weather. The 28th passed with clear weather, and several seals were 
about them. 
The 29th was thick and. snowy, with a north-east wind; passed 
through quantities of drift-ice, and by 2.30 it had become so thick as 
to render a continuance of their course perilous; at 7 p.m. they again 
made the solid barrier, when it was blowing a stiff gale; at 9.30 dis- 
covered the ice ahead and on both beams; wore round to the north- 
ward and eastward, to retrace their steps; it was not long before they 
discovered a chain of ice-islands ahead, apparently connected by solid 
ice; about midnight a passage was discovered between two icebergs 
through which they passed; it was now blowing a heavy gale, and 
having gained the open sea they attempted to reef the foresail, but 
were unequal to the task (four of the men being on the sick-list), and 
were compelled to lay-to under the whole sail, which caused the vessel 
to labour very much, as well as to leak a great deal, and endangered 
her safety by making her fly into the wind, and get a sternboard in a 
high sea. 
On the 30th, in the morning, the gale abated, and the weather be- 
came more pleasant than they had experienced for a number of days. 
They had reached the longitude of 150° 16’ E., latitude 65° 15'S. On 
this day they again passed into blue water. 
3lst of January was thick with snow; a north wind and a heavy 
sea. 
1st of February, they were running among ice until they sighted 
the barrier, when they again hauled to the northward ; a moderate gale 
blowing, with thick weather and a heavy sea, they were obliged to 
heave-to. 
On the 2nd and 3rd they were coasting the ice. In the afternoon 
of the 8rd they again had bad weather, which made it necessary to 
bring-to; surrounded by icebergs and drift-ice; the latter, in case of 
striking, would have seriously injured the tender. The icebergs seen 
on these days had the appearance of recent formation ; the tops flat, 
the sides perpendicular, and not worn by the action of the sea. 
On the 4th the gale continued, and the sea had risen to an extra- 
ordinary height; the weather was so thick that an iceberg could not 
be seen further than twice the length of the vessel. The tender was 
under too much sail, which caused her to labour dreadfully, in con- 
sequence of which she leaked in such a manner as tu make it necessary 
to keep the pumps going almost continually. When they were stopped 
for a short time to rest the men, the water increased sv as to reach the 
cabin floor; the water came through the seams forward in such quan- 
tities as to wet every hed and article of clothing on the berth-deck. 
