ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 357 



weather, having already set in, I took advantage of it, feeling satisfied 

 that our farther continuance in this icy region would not only be 

 attended with peril to the ship, but would cause a waste of the time 

 which was demanded by my other duties ; and having nearly three 

 thousand miles to sail to our next port (Bay of Islands), I made up 

 my mind to turn the head of the vessel northward. 



I therefore had the officers and crew called aft, thanked them all 

 for their exertions and good conduct during the trying scenes they 

 had gone through, congratulated them on the success that had at- 

 tended us, and informed them that I had determined to bear up and 

 return north. 



Having only twenty-five days' full allowance of water, I ordered its 

 issue to be reduced to half allowance. 



I have seldom seen so many happy faces, or such rejoicings, as the 

 announcement of my intention to return produced. But although 

 the crew were delighted at the termination of this dangerous cruise, 

 not a word of impatience or discontent had been heard during its 

 continuance. Neither had there been occasion for punishment ; and 

 I could not but be thankful to have been enabled to conduct the ship 

 through so difficult and dangerous a navigation without a single 

 accident, with a crew in as good, if not in better condition than when 

 we first reached the icy barrier. For myself, I indeed felt worse for 

 the fatigues and anxieties I had undergone ; but I was able to attend 

 to all my duties, and considered myself amply repaid for my im- 

 paired health by the important discoveries we had made, and the 

 success that had attended our exertions. 



I shall now leave the Vincennes to pursue her route northward, 

 and return to the Porpoise, the result of whose proceedings will be 

 detailed in the following chapter. 



ICE-ISLAND. 



90 



