ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 315 



large ice-islands had just been passed to leeward : so we dashed on, 

 expecting every moment the crash. The ship, in an instant, from having 

 her lee guns under water, rose upright ; and so close were we passing 

 to leeward of one of these huge islands, that our trysails were almost 

 thrown aback by the eddy wind. The helm was put up to pay the ship 

 off, but the proximity of those under our lee bade me keep my course. 

 All was now still except the distant roar of the wild storm, that was 

 raging behind, before, and above us ; the sea was in great agitation, 

 and both officers and men were in the highest degree excited. The 

 ship continued her way, and as we proceeded, a glimmering of hope 

 arose, for we accidentally had hit upon a clear passage between two 

 large ice-islands, which in fine weather we should not dare to have 

 ventured through. The suspense endured while making our way 

 between them was intense, but of short duration ; and my spirits rose 

 as I heard the whistling of the gale grow louder and louder before us, 

 as we emerged from the passage. We had escaped an awful death, 

 and were again tempest-tost. 



We encountered many similar dangers that night. At half-past 4, 

 a. m., I found we had reached the small open space laid down on my 

 chart, and at five o'clock I hove-to the ship. I had been under intense 

 excitement, and had not been off the deck for nine hours, and was now 

 thankful to the Providence that had guided, watched over, and pre- 

 served us. Until 7 a. m., all hands were on deck, when there was some 

 appearance of the weather moderating, and they were piped down. 



The barometer was marked at intervals, for which the reader is 

 referred to Appendix XXVI. 



This gale was from the southeast, from which quarter it blew 

 during the whole of its strength ; and when it began to moderate, the 

 wind veered to the southward. By noon we felt satisfied that the gale 

 was over, and that we had escaped, although it was difficult to realize 

 a sense of security when the perils we had just passed through were 

 so fresh in our minds, and others still impending. Towards four 

 o'clock, it cleared off, and we saw but few icebergs near us. Our 

 longitude was found to be 140° E., latitude 63° 30' S., and I again 

 made sail for the ice to the south, to pass over the very route we had 

 just traversed through so many perils. 



The wind had now hauled to the southwest. At 6 p. m., we again 

 began to enter among ice-islands. The weather appeared settled ; but 

 I had so often been deceived by its fickleness, that I felt no reliance 

 ought to be put in its continuance. A powerful inducement was held 

 out to us, in the prospect of getting close enough to effect a landing ; 

 and this rendered us insensible to the dangers. 



