SOUTHERN CRUISE. 159 
Having on two occasions narrowly escaped being closed in by the 
ice, Lieutenant Walker had determined to return, and was making 
his way to the north when he fell in with the Peacock. 
The nights having become long, with the interruptions occasioned 
by fogs and snow-storms, afforded but little time for running the 
vessels among the icebergs, whose numbers rendered the navigation 
extremely hazardous. The condition of the Peacock for a winter's 
campaign, was miserable, and on board the Flying-Fish there was no 
protection in the event of being frozen in. The positive nature of 
his instructions, combined with the report of Lieutenant Walker, 
convinced Captain Hudson of the necessity of turning the vessels' 
heads towards a more temperate climate. On holding a council with 
his officers, he found them all of the opinion that the season for active 
operations in these latitudes had passed, and that it was advisable for 
the vessels to proceed without delay to the north. 
He remarks in his report (which, together with Lieutenant Walker's, 
will be found in Appendix XXXI.), "That it required more moral 
courage than I can well describe, to bring my mind to this decision, 
for we had at that moment less ice about us than at any time since 
we had entered among it ; but I felt satisfied, taking all things into 
consideration, that nothing more could be done at this late season, 
and that it would be recklessly hazarding the lives of those entrusted 
to my care, jeoparding the vessels, and of great detriment to the 
future operations of the Expedition, which an honest conviction of 
the duty I owed my country, most decidedly forbade." The vessels 
accordingly steered to the northward. 
The weather, during the cruise south, w r as exceedingly unfavour- 
able, for with few exceptions during their stay in the Antarctic 
circle, they were enveloped in dense fogs, or found only occasional 
relief from them in falls of snow. The crew during the whole time 
enjoyed an unusual degree of health, which is not a little surprising, 
for, since leaving Orange Harbour, the state of the ship had been 
such as to promote disease. The precautions and endeavours to keep 
the men dry, entirely failed, from the condition of the ship, heretofore 
referred to. 
On the night of the 26th, they had again a slight display of the 
aurora, its radiations extending 30° in altitude. Fresh gales blew 
from the northwest, with a heavy sea, so that the tender found 
difficulty in keeping company, and they reduced sail in order to 
avoid parting with her. 
