ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 397 



from the shore ; but no bottom was found. The temperature of the 

 water at the surface was 43°, and at three hundred fathoms deep 39°. 

 The current was tried, but none found. 



The south end of Macquarie Island lies in latitude 54° 44' S., and 

 longitude 159° 49' E. The island is high and much broken; it is 

 apparently covered with verdure, although a long tufted rank grass 

 was the only plant seen by those Avho landed. 



The highest peak on the island is from twelve to fifteen hundred 

 feet high, and as far as our observations extended, it had neither tree 

 nor shrub on it. At 6 p. m. the ship filled away, and at eight was 

 abreast of the Bishop and Clerk. Macquarie Island affords no 

 inducement for a visit, and as far as our examination went, has no 

 suitable place for landing with a boat. The only thing I had to 

 regret was not being able to make it a magnetic station. 



On the 11th and 12th nothing particular occurred on board the 

 Peacock. All sail was set, and running to the southward on the 13th, 

 in latitude 61° 30' S., longitude 161° 05' E., the first ice-islands were 

 seen ; the dip was observed with Lloyd's and Dolland's needles, which 

 made it 86° 53'. 



There was no occasion on the night of the 13th to light the bin- 

 nacle-lamps, as newspaper print could be read with ease at midnight. 

 On the 14th, while still making much progress to the south, and 

 passing occasionally icebergs and brash ice, the water appeared 

 somewhat discoloured. Robinson's, Lloyd's, and Dolland's needles, 

 gave, the same day, in the cabin, 86° 37' for the dip, and in the ward- 

 room, 86° 46'. Albatrosses, Cape pigeons, and other birds about. 



On the 15th, they passed many ice-islands. The weather was thick, 

 and snow fell at intervals ; the wind continued from the westward. 

 Many whales were seen ; albatrosses, petrels, and Cape pigeons were 

 frequent about the ship. At 4 p. m., the mist raised a little, and to 

 their surprise they saw a perfect barrier of ice, extending to the south- 

 west, with several large icebergs enclosed within it ; shortly after, they 

 discovered a sail, which proved to be the Porpoise. 



The Vincennes and Porpoise were left in our narrative near the icy 

 barrier, separated by the fogs and mists that prevailed at times. The 

 Porpoise, on the 13th, in latitude 65° 08' S., longitude 163° E., 

 discovered several sea-elephants on the ice, and sent a boat to 

 capture them, but without success. The current was tried, and 

 found to set west one-fifth of a mile per hour. Some time afterwards, 

 seeing some sea-elephants near the edge of the ice, a boat was sent, 



