ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 299 



copper cylinder was covered with mud, and the water inside of it was 

 quite muddy. They then beat up a short distance to windward, and 

 again sounded, when, with the line hanging vertically, bottom was 

 reached at three hundred and twenty fathoms ; the matter brought up 

 was slate-coloured mud. The temperature of the water at the surface 

 was 32°, and at the above depth 27 J°, being a decrease of 4j°. 



The boats now returned, and on approaching the ship the persons in 

 them were much startled by hearing the crew cheer ship in conse- 

 quence of finding soundings. This was a natural burst of joy, on 

 obtaining this unquestionable proof that what they saw was indeed the 

 land ; a circumstance that, while it left no doubt, if any had existed, in 

 the mind of any one on board the Peacock, that what they had previ- 

 ously seen was truly terra firma, furnished a proof that cannot be 

 gainsaid, even by those disposed to dispute the evidence of sight, 

 unsupported by so decisive a fact. Mr. Eld and Mr. Stuart, in the 

 boats, succeeded in getting observations, and the mean dip by the 

 needles was 86° 16'. 



Mr. Eld's boat succeeded in taking a king-penguin of enormous size, 

 viz. : from tip of tail to the bill, forty-five inches ; across the flippers, 

 thirty-seven inches ; and the circumference of the body, thirty-three 

 inches. He was taken after a truly sailor-like fashion, by knocking 

 him down. The bird remained quite unmoved on their approach, or 

 rather showed a disposition to come forward to greet them. A blow 

 with the boat-hook, however, stunned him, and before his recovery he 

 was well secured. He showed, on coming to himself, much resent- 

 ment at the treatment he had received, not only by fighting, but by an 

 inordinate noise. He was in due time preserved as a specimen, and 

 now graces the collection at Washington. In his craw were found 

 thirty-two pebbles, from the size of a pea to that of a hazel-nut. 



24th. Bergs and field-ice were in various directions around. They 

 had light baffling winds, clear and pleasant weather, with a smooth sea. 

 The water was of a dark green colour. Standing into the bay for the 

 purpose of approaching the land, they at 5 a. m. passed through drift- 

 ice into an open space, and when they had again approached the field, 

 hove-to for the purpose of sounding. Here bottom was found at the 

 depth of eight hundred fathoms; and the matter brought up was 

 similar to that obtained the day before. The distance between the 

 points where these two soundings were obtained, was but short. 



At 8 h 30 m a. m., while attempting to box off the ship from some ice 

 under the bow, she made a stern-board, which brought the stern so 

 forcibly in contact with another mass of ice, that it seemed from the 

 shock, as if it were entirely stove in ; the rudder was so much canted 



