ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 309 



At the surface, its temperature was 32°, at the depth sounded, 31°. I 

 should have tried for a deeper cast, but the line was seen to be 

 stranded, when we were obliged to stop ; we fortunately saved our 

 apparatus, with Six's thermometers. 



On this day (16th January) appearances believed at the time to be 

 land, were visible from all the three vessels, and the comparison of 

 the three observations, when taken in connexion with the more posi- 

 tive proofs of its existence afterwards obtained, has left no doubt that 

 the appearance was not deceptive. From this day, therefore, we date 

 the discovery which is claimed for the squadron. 



On board the Peacock, it appears that Passed Midshipmen Eld and 

 Reynolds both saw the land from the masthead, and reported it to 

 Captain Hudson : he was well satisfied on examination that the 

 appearance was totally distinct from that of ice-islands, and a majority 

 of the officers and men were also satisfied that if land could exist, that 

 was it. I mention particularly the names of these two gentlemen, 

 because they have stated the same fact under oath, before the court- 

 martial, after our return. 



On board the Porpoise, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold states 

 that "he went aloft in the afternoon, the weather being clear and 

 fine, the horizon good, and clouds lofty ; that he saw over the field- 

 ice an object, large, dark, and rounding, resembling a mountain in the 

 distance ; the icebergs were all light and brilliant, and in great con- 

 trast." He goes on to say, in his report, " I watched for an hour to 

 see if the sun in his decline would change the colour of the object : 

 it remained the same, with a white cloud above, similar to that hover- 

 ing over high land. At sunset the appearance remained the same. 

 I took the bearings accurately, intending to examine it closely as soon 

 as we got a breeze. I am thoroughly of opinion it is an island 

 surrounded by immense fields of ice. The Peacock in sight to the 

 southward and eastward over the ice ; the sun set at a few minutes 

 before ten ; soon after, a light air from the southward, with a fog-bank 

 arising, which quickly shut out the field-ice." 



In Passed Midshipman Eld's journal, he asserts that he had been 

 several times to the masthead during the day, to view the barrier ; 

 that it was not only a barrier of ice, but one of terra firma. Passed 

 Midshipman Reynolds and himself exclaimed, with one accord, that 

 it was land. Not trusting to the naked eye, they descended for spy- 

 glasses, which confirmed, beyond a doubt, their first impressions. 

 The mountains could be distinctly seen, over the field-ice and bergs, 



vol. ii. 78 



