SOUTHERN CRUISE. 141 
By 8 a. m. we had penetrated among the numerous icebergs, until 
we found it impossible to go farther. I have rarely seen a finer sight. 
The sea was literally studded with these beautiful masses, some of 
pure white, others showing all the shades of the opal, others emerald 
green, and occasionally here and there some of a deep black, forming 
a strong contrast to the pure white. Near to us, we discovered three 
small islets, and gave them the name of the Adventure Islets, while 
beyond, and above all, rose two high mountains, one of which was 
Mount Hope. I place the eastern extremity of Palmer's Land or 
Mount Hope in longitude 57° 55' W., latitude 63° 25' S. 
We found the coast to trend off to the southeast, and I judged we 
could see it trending from twenty-five to thirty miles. We had now 
ascertained, beyond a doubt, that there was no open space next to the 
land, as I had been led to believe would have been found, so late in 
the season. The whole area was studded with icebergs, which it now 
became us to get clear of if possible before night set in. 
It was a day of great excitement to all, for we had ice of all kinds 
and descriptions to encounter, from the iceberg of huge quadrangular 
shape, with its stratified appearance, to the sunken and deceptive 
mass, that it was difficult to perceive before it was under the bow. 
Our situation was critical, but the weather favoured us for a few hours. 
On clearing these dangers we kept off to the southward and westward, 
under all sail, and at 8 p. m. we counted eighty large ice-islands in 
sight. It afterwards became so thick with mist and fog, as to render 
it necessary to lay-to till daylight, before which time we had a heavy 
snow-storm. The temperature of the water had fallen to 29° ; air 28°. 
At one hundred fathoms depth we found the former 29°. A strong 
gale now set in from the southward and westward. The brig's deck 
was covered with ice and snow, and the weather became excessively 
damp and cold. The men were suffering, not only from a want of 
sufficient room to accommodate the numbers in the vessel, but from 
the inadequacy of the clothing with which they had been supplied. 
Although purchased by the government at great expense, it was found 
to be entirely unworthy the service, and inferior in every way to the 
samples exhibited. This was the case with all the articles of this 
description that were provided for the Expedition. Not having been 
able to satisfy myself to whom the blame is to be attributed, con- 
tractors or inspectors, I hesitate to give their names publicity. The 
deception is in my opinion to be attributed to both. 
On the 5th of March the gale had increased. The tender Sea-Gull 
vol. i. 36 
