SOUTHERN CRUISE. 153 



were met with, which were fortunately avoided. A sharp look-out 

 was kept for them, and the ship put in readiness to perform any 

 manoeuvre that might be desirable. Some of the icebergs were two 

 hundred feet above the surface of the water, and of a pinnacle shape. 

 The snow continued to fall fast, rendering the ship uncomfortably wet. 



On the 25th, the fog continued until near meridian. Many birds 

 were seen about the ship, and many fin-back whales. They obtained 

 a meridian observation, the first for the last six days, and found them- 

 selves in the latitude of 68° S., longitude 97° 58' W. Here, in the 

 evening, to their great joy, they fell in with the tender Flying-Fish. 

 On her near approach, all hands were turned up, and gave her three 

 hearty cheers. Lieutenant Walker came on board, and reported to 

 Captain Hudson as follows. 



That he had visited all the appointed rendezvous in hopes of falling 

 in with the Peacock, but without success, having encountered very 

 severe and boisterous weather. On the 18th they left the fourth 

 rendezvous, having passed the 17th in its vicinity. They then turned 

 towards the south for Cook's Ne Plus Ultra, and continued their way 

 to the southward. The weather was at times very thick, the ice 

 islands became numerous, and they occasionally passed a little floating 

 ice. On the 18th the ice became abundant, and floated in large masses 

 around them. At 4 a. m. the water was much discoloured, and some 

 of the ice also having the appearance of being but lately detached from 

 the land. They obtained a cast of the lead, but found no bottom at one 

 hundred fathoms. At eight o'clock the fog lifted, and discovered, to the 

 amazement of all, a wall of ice from fifteen to twenty feet high, 

 extending east and west as far as the eye could reach, and spreading 

 out into a vast and seemingly boundless field to the south. This wall 

 was formed of masses of all sizes, and various shapes and colours. 

 Their latitude at this time was about 67° 30' S., longitude 105° W. 

 The weather becoming thick, they stood to the northward, and soon 

 ran into blue water. 



On the 21st, at 7 a. m., they saw the ice extending in broken ranges 

 from south-by-east to northeast, and the sea extending round to the 

 westward. At eight o'clock, the water was again much discoloured, 

 and many large icebergs were around. At meridian, their latitude was 

 68° 41' S., longitude 103° 34' W., when they again stood to the south- 

 ward, running among the ice-islands with a fair wind, flattering them- 

 selves that they should before noon of the next day get further south 

 than Cook had. But their hopes were soon blasted ; for the weather 

 became thick, and they were in consequence obliged to heave-to. The 

 wind soon freshened to a gale, accompanied by a heavy sea. 



vol. i. 20 



