330 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



finding it from that quarter before ; for I had been informed by those 

 who had navigated in high southern latitudes, that southeast would be 

 the prevailing wind, and would be attended with fine weather. Now, 

 however, with a fair wind, I was unable to run, for the weather was 

 unfavourable. 



At 6 a. M. on the 26th, we again made sail, and at 8 a. m. we dis- 

 covered the Porpoise, to whom we made signals to come within hail. 

 We found them all well, and compared chronometers. 



As it still blew fresh from the southeast, and the weather became a 

 little more clear, we both bore away, running through much drift- 

 ice, at the rate of nine knots an hour. We had the barrier in sight ; 

 it was, however, too thick to see much ' beyond it. Sailing in this 

 way I felt to be extremely hazardous, but our time was so short for 

 the examination of this icy coast, that while the barrier was to be 

 seen, I deemed it my duty to proceed. We fortunately, by good 

 look-outs, and carefully conning the ship, were enabled to avoid any 

 heavy thumps. 



On the 27th, we again had the wind from south-southwest. The 

 floe-ice had become so thick, that we found it impossible to get 

 through it in the direction I wished to go, and we were compelled to 

 pass round it. The Porpoise was in sight until noon. The weather 

 proved beautifully clear. A long range of tabular icebergs was in 

 sight to the southward, indicating, as I have before observed, that the 

 coast was near. I passed through these, losing sight of the Porpoise 

 to the northwest about noon, when we were in longitude 142° 40' E., 

 latitude 65° 54' 21" S., variation 5° 08' easterly. 



On the 28th, I found myself completely surrounded by the tabular 

 icebergs, through which we continued to pass. Towards midnight 

 the wind shifted to the southeast, and enabled me to haul more to the 

 southward. At 9J a. m. we had another sight of the land ahead, and 

 every prospect of nearing it with a fine breeze. The sight of the ice- 

 bergs around us, all of large dimensions, was beautiful. The greatest 

 number in sight at one time was noted, and found to be more than a 

 hundred, varying from a quarter of a mile to three miles in length. We 

 took the most open route, and by eleven o'clock had run upwards of 

 forty miles through them. We had the land now in plain view, but 

 the weather soon began to thicken and the breeze to freshen. At 

 noon it was so thick that every thing was hidden, and no observation 

 was obtained. The ship was hove-to, but shortly after again put 

 under way, making several tacks to keep my position, which I felt 



