ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 339 



Bay, steering to the southward, and as usual among ice-islands, with 

 the land in sight. The land had the same lofty appearance as before. 

 We stood in until 3 p. m., when we were within two and a half miles 

 of the icy cliffs by which the land was bounded on all sides. These 

 were from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in height, quite 

 perpendicular, and there was no appearance whatever of rocks ; all 

 was covered with ice and snow. A short distance from us to the 

 westward was a long range of icebergs aground, which, contrary to 

 the usual appearance, looked much weather-beaten. We tried for 

 soundings, but did not get any with one hundred and fifty fathoms, 

 although the water was much discoloured. The badness of the deep- 

 sea line was a great annoyance to us, for deeper soundings would 

 probably have obtained bottom. No break in the icy barrier, where 

 a foot could be set on the rocks, was observable from aloft. The land 

 still trended to the westward as far as the eye could reach, and con- 

 tinued to exhibit the same character as before. Our longitude now 

 was 137° 02' E., latitude 66° 12' S. : we found the magnetic declina- 

 tion westerly. 



This proved a fine day, so that we had an opportunity of airing 

 the men's bedding, of ventilating the ship, and of getting rid of 

 the ice, with which we were much encumbered. The thermometer 

 varied from 33° to 36°. Our sick-list had increased the last few 

 days to twenty ; many of the men were affected with boils, which 

 rendered them comparatively useless ; and ulcers, which were caused 

 by the least scratch, were exceedingly prevalent ; but their food was 

 good, they had plenty of it, and their spirits were excellent. The 

 high land was seen this afternoon, but the barrier along which we 

 were passing prevented any nearer approach. This evening it was 

 perceptible that the days were becoming shorter, which was a new 

 sotirce of anxiety, for we were often surrounded by numerous ice- 

 islands, which the darkness rendered more dangerous. 



Towards evening the weather became unsettled, and the 3d of 

 February was ushered in by another gale, accompanied with snow. 

 The barometer fell lower than heretofore, namely, to 28-460 in. ; the 

 thermometer stood at 33°. Before the thick snow came on, we had 

 taken the bearings of the ice-islands, and finding we had a few miles 

 comparatively free from them, I determined to await the result of the 

 storm, and made every thing snug to encounter it. The gale con- 

 tinued throughout the day, and although it moderated after 5 p. m., 

 we had some strong squalls, but nothing so violent as those we had 



