136 SOUTHERN CRUISE. 



The north foreland of King George's Island was in sight, and found 

 to be well placed on the charts. The appearance of all this land is 

 volcanic ; it is from eight hundred to one thousand feet high. The 

 upper part is covered and the valleys filled with snow of great depth. 

 Before night we had several other islands in sight, with many bergs 

 and much drift-ice. 



On the 2d, at daylight, we made O'Brien's and Aspland's Islands, to 

 the eastward, with many ice-islands, some of a tabular form, and from 

 half a mile to a mile in length. The temperature of the water was 

 34°. Through the fog and mist, we got a sight of Bridgeman's Island, 

 and stood for it, with the intention of landing on it. The fog cleared 

 off as we approached it, and we could perceive distinctly the smoke 

 issuing from its sides. We made it in latitude 62° 06' $., and longi- 

 tude 57° 10' W. I determined to land, although the fog was hovering 

 in the horizon around us, and ordered a boat to be prepared. While 

 in the act of getting ready, in less than ten minutes, we were enveloped 

 in a fog so dense, that we could not see three lengths of the brig. We 

 were now a short distance from and under the lee of the island, and 

 perceived a strong sulphureous smell. We waited for some time, in 

 hopes of its clearing, but we were disappointed, and I therefore deemed 

 it advisable to proceed under short sail, feeling our way to the south- 

 ward, with the expectation, every moment, of encountering icebergs. 



This island is about six hundred feet high, and of the shape of a 

 flattened dome. The sea was quite smooth, but the long swell was 

 heard dashing against it and the icebergs as we passed them. 



On the 3d we filled away at daylight, and stood for Palmer's 

 Land. The birds now had very much increased, Cape pigeons, 

 with the gray and black petrel, and occasionally penguins, swimming 

 about us in all directions, uttering their discordant screams : they 

 seemed astonished at encountering so unusual an object as a vessel in 

 these frozen seas. At 6 h 30 m we made land, which I took to be Mount 

 Hope, the eastern point of Palmer's Land. By 8 a. m. we had pene- 

 trated among the numerous icebergs, until we found it impossible to 

 go farther. I have rarely seen a finer sight. The sea was literally 

 studded with these beautiful masses, some of pure white, others show- 

 ing all the shades of the opal, others emerald green, and occasionally 

 here and there some of a deep black, forming a strong contrast to the 

 pure white. Near to us, we discovered three small islets, and gave 

 them the name of the Adventure Islets ; while beyond, and above all, 

 rose two high mountains, one of which was Mount Hope. I place the 

 eastern extremity of Palmer's Land, or Mount Hope, in longitude 57° 

 55' W., latitude 63° 25' S. 



