ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 321 



for we were often surrounded by numerous ice-islands, which the 

 darkness rendered more dangerous. 



Towards evening the weather became unsettled, and the 3d of 

 February was ushered in by another gale, accompanied with snow 

 The barometer fell lower than heretofore, namely, to 28*460 in. ; the 

 thermometer stood at 33°. Before the thick snow came on, we had 

 taken the bearings of the ice-islands, and finding we had a few miles 

 comparatively free from them, I determined to await the result of the 

 storm, and made every thing snug to encounter it. The gale con- 

 tinued throughout the day, and although it moderated after 5 p. m., we 

 had some strong squalls, but nothing so violent as those we had already 

 experienced. The ship, in consequence of the snow, became more 

 damp and uncomfortable, and our sick-list was increased to thirty, 

 who were rather overcome by want of rest and fatigue than affected 

 by any disease. To remedy the dampness, a stove was placed on the 

 gun-deck, and fires kept burning in the galleys on the berth-deck, more 

 for the purpose of drying the men's clothes than for warmth. We 

 had no observations this day, but the dead-reckoning gave the longi- 

 tude 134° E., latitude 63° 49' S. 



The 4th and 5th the weather continued the same. As the winds 

 became lighter thick snow fell, and we were able to see only a short 

 distance from the ship. We contrived by manoeuvring to retain our 

 position. On this last day w T e got a tolerable observation, which gave 

 cur longitude as 133° 42' E., and latitude 64° 06' S. 



The first part of the 6th the same thick weather continued, but 

 towards 4 p. m., it began to clear, when we again made sail, until we 

 saw and took the bearings of the barrier. We found ourselves situ- 

 ated opposite the part of it we had seen three days before. It still had 

 the appearance of being attached to the land, and in one uninterrupted 

 line. Wishing to examine it closely, I hove-to for broad daylight. 

 Many whales, penguins, flocks of birds, and some seals, were reported. 



On the 7th we had much better weather, and continued all day 

 running along the perpendicular icy barrier, about one hundred and 

 fifty feet in height. Beyond it the outline of the high land could be 

 well distinguished. At 6 p. m., we suddenly found the barrier trending 

 to the southward, and the sea studded with icebergs. I now hauled 

 off until daylight, in order to ascertain the trending of the land more 

 exactly. I place this point, which I have named Cape Carr, after the 

 first-lieutenant of the Vincennes, in longitude 131° 40' E., and latitude 

 64° 49' S. 



On the 8th, at daylight, we again made sail to the southward, and 

 found at 4 a. m. the field of ice had stopped our progress, and the 



VOL. II. 41 



