158 SOUTHERN CRUISE. 
On the 21st, at 7 a. m., they saw the ice extending in broken 
ranges from south by east to northeast, and the sea extending round 
to the westward. At 8 o'clock, the water was again much dis- 
coloured, and many large icebergs were around. At meridian their 
latitude was 68° 41' S., longitude 103° 34' W., when they again 
stood to the southward, running among the ice islands with a fair 
wind, flattering themselves that they should before noon of the next 
day get further south than Cook had. But their hopes were soon 
blasted ; for the weather became thick, and they were in consequence 
obliged to heave to. The wind soon freshened to a gale, accompanied 
by a heavy sea. 
March 22d, from midnight to 4 o'clock, a fresh gale, with rain. 
The weather lighting up at intervals, made them aware that they 
were in the midst of innumerable ice islands, so closely packed as 
scarcely to afford a passage between them. At 4, the wind still 
continuing fresh and the weather misty, they stood to the northward 
and eastward. The weather grew thicker and became colder. 
Shortly after the fog lifted, and they found themselves surrounded 
by narrow fields of ice, with contracted passages between them, 
extending in a direction perpendicular to that of the wind. As far as 
the eye could reach were icebergs, packed and floating, in all direc- 
tions. After *a short examination, some places appeared where the 
ice was not so compact. At one of these they succeeded in passing 
through. Fresh gales and thick weather followed, and they still 
passed numbers of icebergs, of from eighty to one hundred feet in 
height, with the sea breaking on them. 
On the morning of the 23d, their latitude was 70° $., longitude 
100° 16' W. The weather proved clear. In the afternoon they 
again stood to the southward and eastward for three hours, when 
they observed the appearance of land, and discovered large masses of 
ice and numerous icebergs. At midnight the southern horizon was 
beautifully illuminated with the aurora australis. 
On the 24th of March they had a heavy fall of snow ; passed many 
icebergs, and large quantities of floating ice ; got suddenly into large 
fields of packed and broken ice, extending as far as the eye could 
reach, in all directions, which, with the accumulation of snow, 
appeared to be rapidly becoming solid. They lost no time in forcing 
their way out. All on board were of opinion, that within a short 
time after they cleared it, it became a firm field of ice. The latitude 
observed was 69° 06', longitude 96° 50' W. 
