302 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



leeward of the island, and the sea and wind increasing, I saw it was 

 useless to attempt to reach it without great loss of time. I therefore 

 bore off to the southward for our second rendezvous, Emerald Island, 

 or its supposed locality. 



On the morning of the 8th, the wind, which continued from the 

 same quarter with heavy cumulous clouds, began to moderate, and 

 we were enabled to make more sail. By our observations, we found 

 a current setting to the southeast, of one mile an hour. Our lon- 

 gitude was 162° 13' E., latitude 55° 38' S. ; the barometer stood at 

 3000 in., the temperature had fallen to 38°; and this change, on 

 account of the rawness of the air, was much felt by the crew. 



During the 9th we passed the site of Emerald Isle, situate, as 

 has been stated, in latitude 57° 15' S., and longitude 162° 30' E., 

 but saw nothing of it, nor any indications of land, which I therefore 

 infer does not exist in the locality where it is laid down. We again 

 experienced the southeast current of twenty miles a day. Our 

 variation had increased to twenty-two degrees easterly. Making our 

 course with all sail set, the Porpoise in company, we passed to-day 

 some pieces of kelp. The temperature continued at 38°. Numerous 

 flocks of gray petrels around us. 



The 10th we encountered the first iceberg, and the temperature of 

 the water fell to 32°. We passed close to it, and found it a mile long, 

 and one hundred and eighty feet in height. We had now reached the 

 latitude of 61° 08' S.. and longitude 162° 32' E. The current to-day 

 set in the same direction as before, about half a mile per hour. The 

 second iceberg seen was thirty miles, and the third about fifty-five 

 miles south of the first. These ice-islands were apparently much 

 worn by the sea into cavities, exhibiting fissures as though they were 

 ready to be rent asunder, and showed an apparent stratification, much 

 inclined to the horizon. The weather now became misty, and we 

 had occasionally a little snow ; I congratulated myself that we had 

 but few on the sick-list, and all were in high spirits at the novelty of 

 the cruise. We continued to meet icebergs of different heights, some 

 of which, though inclined to the horizon, had a plane upper surface. 



11th. The fair wind from the northwest, (accompanied with a light 

 mist, rendering objects on the horizon indistinct,) still enabled us to 

 pursue our course southerly. Icebergs became so numerous as to com- 

 pel us occasionally to change our course. They continued of the same 

 character, with caverns worn in their perpendicular sides, and with 

 flat tops, but the latter were now on a line with the horizon. Towards 



