ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 3Q1 



accordingly proceeded on our course for that island, with all sail set. 

 This separation of the tender took place in the latitude of 48° S., and 

 she was not again seen until our return. The officers and crew were 

 not slow in assigning to the Flying-Fish a similar fate with her 

 unfortunate mate, the Sea-Gull. Men-of-war's men are prone to 

 prognosticate evil, and on this occasion they were not wanting in 

 various surmises. Woful accounts were soon afloat of the distress 

 the schooner Avas in when last seen, — and this in quite a moderate 

 sea. 



The barometer now began to assume a lower range, and the tem- 

 perature to fall below 50°. On the 3d, the fog continuing very thick, 

 the Peacock got beyond hearing of our horns, bells, drums, and guns, 

 and was parted with. This, however, I did not now regret so 

 much, as it was of little consequence whether we sought one or two 

 vessels at our rendezvous, although it might cause a longer detention 

 there. 



The wind was now (5th January) veering rapidly to the north- 

 west, with some thunder and lightning, and we in consequence 

 expected the wind to haul to the southwest, but, to my surprise, it- 

 went back to the northeast, with thick rainy weather. This return of 

 the wind to its old quarter followed a fall of the barometer to 2960 in., 

 and in a few hours afterwards to 29-30 in., while the weather con- 

 tinued moderate ; a large number of albatrosses, Port Egmont hens, 

 and petrels, were seen. 



For the last few days we were unable to get any observations, but 

 on the 6th we were favoured with a sight of the sun, and found 

 ourselves in the latitude of 53° 30' S., and longitude 157° 35' E. 

 Our variation had increased to fifteen and a half degrees easterly. 

 This being a fine day, we completed our calking, and the more 

 effectual securing of the ship. At midnight we were about fifty 

 miles from Macquarie Island. 



The morning of the 7th was misty, with squally weather. A 

 heavy sea rising, and a strong gale setting in, we lost sight of the 

 Porpoise for a few hours. Being unable to see beyond an eighth of 

 a mile, it was thought imprudent to run, for fear of passing the island, 

 and we hove-to to await its moderating. It cleared at noon, and we 

 obtained an observation, by which we found ourselves in latitude 

 54° 20' S., and longitude 160° 47' E. I found that we had been 

 carried to the eastward upwards of twenty miles in less than eighteen 

 hours ; this, with the wind hauling to the southwest, brought us to 



vol. ii. 76 



