ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 315 



coloured tints, leading into deep caverns, open to the swell of the sea, 

 which, rushing in, produced loud and distant thunderings. The 

 flight of birds passing in and out of these caverns, recalled the 

 recollection of ruined abbeys, castles, and caves, while here and there 

 a bold projecting bluff, crowned with pinnacles and turrets, resembled 

 some Gothic keep. A little farther onwards would be seen a vast 

 fissure, as if some powerful force had rent in twain these mighty 

 masses. Every noise on board, even our own voices reverberated 

 from the massive and pure white walls. These tabular bergs are 

 like masses of beautiful alabaster : a verbal description of them can 

 do little to convey the reality to the imagination of one who has not 

 been among them. If an immense city of ruined alabaster palaces 

 can be imagined, of every variety of shape and tint, and composed 

 of huge piles of buildings grouped together, with long lanes or streets 

 winding irregularly through them, some faint idea may be formed of 

 the grandeur and beauty of the spectacle. The time and circum- 

 stances under which we were viewing them, threading our way 

 through these vast bergs, we knew not to what end, left an impression 

 upon me of these icy and desolate regions that can never be forgotten. 



22d. It was now, during fine weather, one continued day ; but we 

 had occasional snow-squalls that produced an obscurity that was tan- 

 talizing. The bergs were so vast and inaccessible, that there was no 

 possibility of landing upon them. 



The Peacock and Porpoise were in sight of each other this day. 

 A large number of whales, albatrosses, petrels, penguins, &c, were 

 seen around, and a flock of ducks was also reported as having been 

 seen from the Vincennes, as well as several seals. The effect of 

 sunrise, at a little after 2 a. m., on the 23d., was glorious. 



As the events which occurred on board the Peacock during the 

 next few days are particularly interesting, I shall proceed to narrate 

 them in detail, leaving the Vincennes and Porpoise to pursue their 

 route along their dangerous and novel pathway, and would particu- 

 larly refer the reader to the actual condition of the Peacock, a state- 

 ment of which has been heretofore given, that it may be borne 

 in mind that our vessels had no planking, extra fastening, or other 

 preparations for these icy regions, beyond those of the vessels of war 

 in our service. 



The Peacock stood into the bay which the Vincennes had found 

 closed the day before, and saw the same appearance of high land in 

 the distance. The water was much discoloured, and of a dark, dirty 



