296 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



the oldest and most experienced seamen on board. The officer of the 

 morning watch, Lieutenant Alden, sent twice, and called my attention 

 to it. We were at this time in longitude 154° 30' E., latitude 66° 20' 

 S. ; the day was fine, and at times quite clear, with light winds. After 

 divine service, I still saw the outline of the land, unchanged in form 

 but not so distinct as in the morning. By noon, I found we were 

 sagging on to the barrier ; the boats were lowered in consequence, and 

 the ship towed off. The report from aloft, was, " A continued barrier 

 of ice around the bay, and no opening to be seen, having the western 

 point of it bearing to the northward of west of us." I stood to the 

 westward to pass around it, fully assured that the Peacock would 

 explore all the outline of the bay. 



The Peacock, at 3 h 30 m , according to Captain Hudson's journal, 

 having got into the drift-ice, with a barrier still ahead to the west, 

 tacked to the southeast to work up for an immense mass, which had 

 every appearance of land, and which was believed to be such by all 

 on board. It was seen far beyond and towering above an ice-island 

 that was from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in height. It 

 bore from them about southwest,* and had the appearance of being 

 three thousand feet in height, forming a sort of amphitheatre, looking 

 gray and dark, and divided into two distinct ridges or elevations 

 throughout its entire extent, the whole being covered with snow. As 

 there was no probability of getting nearer to it in this quarter, they 

 stood out of the bay, which was about twenty miles deep, to proceed 

 to the westward, hoping to get an opportunity to approach the object 

 more closely on the other side. 



We had a beautiful and unusual sight presented to us this night: the 

 sun and moon both appeared above the horizon at the same time, and 

 each throwing its light abroad. The latter was nearly full. The 

 former illuminated the icebergs and distant continent with his deep 

 golden rays ; while the latter, in the opposite horizon, tinged with silvery 

 light the clouds in its immediate neighbourhood. There now being no 

 doubt in any mind of the discovery of land, it gave an exciting interest 

 to the cruise, that appeared to set aside all thought of fatigue, and to 

 make every one willing to encounter any difficulty to effect a landing. 



20th. This day, on board the Peacock they witnessed a sea-fight 

 between a whale and one of its many enemies. The sea was quite 

 smooth, and offered the best possible view of the whole combat. First, 

 at a distance from the ship, a whale was seen floundering in a most 



* Sketches of this land will be seen in the Atlas on the Chart of Antarctic Continent. 



