318 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



under our lee. We wore ship instantly, and just avoided coming in 

 contact with the latter. Sail was immediately made on the ship, and 

 the scene of the former gale again gone through (which it is needless 

 here to repeat), with this exception, that we were now passing to and 

 fro among icebergs immediately to windward of the barrier, and each 

 tack brought us nearer to it. Between 4 and 5 a. m., our space was 

 becoming confined, and there was no abatement of the gale ; I there- 

 fore, as it had cleared sufficiently to enable us to see a quarter of a 

 mile, determined to bear up and run off north-northwest for a clear 

 sea. In doing this we passed icebergs of all dimensions and heavy 

 floe-ice. By 8 h 30 m we had run thirty miles, when, finding a more 

 open sea, I judged we had partially cleared the ice. At noon the gale 

 still continued. The lowest reading of the barometer during this gale 

 was 28*59 in. 



After lasting thirty hours, the gale, at 6 p. m., began to moderate a 

 little, when we again made sail to the southward. I now felt inclined 

 to seek Piner's Bay again, in order to effect a landing. This would 

 have been a great personal gratification ; but the bay was sixty miles 

 distant, so that to revisit it would occupy time that was now precious ; 

 and feeling satisfied that a great extent of land wholly unknown lay 

 to the westward, I deemed it my duty to proceed to its discovery, not 

 doubting that if my opinions of its existence were correct, a place 

 equally feasible for landing would be found. Another subject also 

 presented itself, which, for a time, caused me some anxiety, and which 

 I confess was not only unexpected by me, but directly at variance with 

 my own observations on the condition of my crew. As I feel com- 

 pelled to give a complete detail of our proceedings, I must now revert 

 to this subject. 



The following report of the medical officers of the ship was made 

 to me on the dav of its date. 



U. S. Ship Vincennes, 



At Sea, January 31st, 1840. 

 Sir, — 



It becomes our duty, as medical officers of this ship, to report to you 

 in writing the condition of the crew at the present time. 



The number upon the list this morning is fifteen : most of these cases 

 are consequent upon the extreme hardships and exposure they have 

 undergone during the last gales of wind, when the ship has been sur- 

 rounded with ice. 



This number is not large, but it is necessary to state, that the 

 general health of the crew, in our opinion, is decidedly affected, and 



