ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 363 



as to render any advance unsafe ; until meridian, very strong winds 

 from the eastward, the brig under close-reefed topsails ; at 2 p. m. 

 found it difficult and hazardous to proceed, passing within a short 

 distance of ice-islands, and just seeing them dimly through the 

 obscurity ; at three, the brig was hove-to, and Lieutenant-Com- 

 mandant Ringgold says, in reference to their situation — 



" I felt great anxiety to proceed, but the course was so perilous, 

 the extent and trend of the barrier so uncertain, I could not reconcile 

 it with prudence to advance. The frequent falling in with fields of 

 drift-ice, the numerous and often closely-grouped chains of icebergs, 

 were sufficient to point out discretion. The long-extended barrier 

 Avas encountered in latitude 65° 08' S. ; at twelve to-day our position 

 Avas 65° 16' S. ; it is easy to perceive the possibility of a trend 

 northerly again, which would have placed us in a large and dan- 

 gerous gulf, with a heavy gale blowing directly on, without a hope of 

 escape. 



"At 8 p. M., blowing very heavy; the snow falling rendered vision 

 beyond a few yards impossible ; I have seldom experienced a heavier 

 blow, and towards the conclusion the squalls were severe and 

 frequent." 



The barometer at 3 a. m., stood at 28-200 in., the lowest point it 

 reached during the gale. The temperature of the air was 26°. 



The severe gale continued during the 29th, with a heavy sea, and 

 snow falling thickly ; at 8 a. m. the gale abated, and the clouds broke 

 away ; through the day the sun occasionally out ; the weather ap- 

 peared unsettled ; the sun set red and fiery ; the latitude was observed 

 64° 46' S., longitude 137° 16' E. 



On the 30th they stood again to the southwest; at 2 a. m. they 

 made the barrier of field-ice, extending from southeast to west, when 

 it became necessary to haul more to the northwest ; the weather be- 

 coming thick with a heavy fall of snow, at four o'clock, the wind 

 increasing, compelled them to shorten sail ; at 7 h 30™ the ice in fields 

 was discovered close aboard, heading west; at this time hauled imme- 

 diately on a wind to the northeast, and soon passed out of sight of the 

 ice and out of danger ; during the day blowing a gale of wind, and 

 very heavy sea running, passing occasional ice-islands ; at meridian, 

 being clear of the barrier, the brig was hove-to under storm-sails, to 

 await the clearing of the weather. In the afternoon the weather 

 showed signs of clearing ; the sun coming out, again made sail to 

 approach the barrier ; no ice in sight ; great numbers of black petrels 

 about. 



