376 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



On the 16th, they kept off to the southward, with the wind from 

 the southwest, accompanied with sleet and snow. In latitude 61° S., 

 longitude 164° E., they saw the first ice. The next day, the 19th of 

 January, the water was very much discoloured ; got a cast of the lead 

 in ninety fathoms : no bottom ; passed a number of icebergs that were 

 all flat on the top, with perpendicular sides. 



On the 21st they made the icy barrier, in longitude 159° 36' E., 

 and latitude 65° 20' S. From the number of icebergs and the fre- 

 quency of snow-squalls, they found great danger in running through 

 them, although the water was quite smooth. 



On the 22d the weather proved pleasant, and they followed the 

 trend of the ice. The ice-islands still showed fiat tops and perpendi- 

 cular sides, and there were a number of birds, seals, and whales 

 around them; they Avere at noon in longitude 158° 27' E. On this 

 day they were close by an iceberg, from the main body of which a 

 large mass fell with a noise like thunder ; the snow flying into the 

 air resembled smoke, and the swell produced by the immersion of 

 the fragment caused the schooner to roll water in on her deck. A 

 number of large penguins were in sight, differing from any they had 

 heretofore seen. 



On the 23d the weather was pleasant, and they had light winds 

 from the southward and westward. Longitude 157° 49' E., latitude 

 65° 58' S. They continued coasting along the ice in search of an 

 opening. At 8 p. m. they discovered several dark spots, which had 

 the appearance of rocks, and on approaching the margin of the ice, 

 they could make them out to be such with their glasses, but they 

 were situated too far within the field-ice for a boat to get near them. 

 This day being fine, an opportunity was afforded of drying the deck 

 and clothes, and searing the seams with a hot iron. The vessel had 

 been very wet, and her decks leaked badly, notwithstanding the 

 thorough calking and repairs she had received at Sydney : the crew 

 were almost constantly wet, below as well as above deck. 



On the 24th they were obliged to steer again to the northward, in 

 consequence of making the barrier ahead. Sea-lions were seen on 

 the ice. They continued to follow the barrier, which trended north- 

 northeast; the compasses were very sluggish. On the 26th and 27th 

 the weather became bad, with the wind to the northward and west- 

 ward, accompanied by a heavy fall of snow : in the evening of the latter 

 day, the wind hauled to the southward and westward, and brought 



