342 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Peacock was made out on the southern board, showing no disposition 

 to communicate ; showed our colours, and hauled to. the westward. 



24th. The day was remarkably fine, such as is seldom experienced 

 in this region. The water appeared much -discoloured and of a dirty 

 olive-green colour. At meridian, they again made the field-ice, and 

 tacked to the northward, passing through large quantities of ice- 

 islands ; weather looking bad, with occasional light snow-storms. 



25th. Part of this day was clear and pleasant, though snow fell at 

 intervals; the field-ice was in sight several times, and many ice- 

 islands of great size and beauty. Penguins were swimming round, 

 and also several shoals of black-fish; a black albatross was shot; 

 towards night the weather became very thick ; they were in longitude 

 150° E., latitude 65° 56' S. 



26th. Fresh winds blowing from the eastward ; during the first few 

 hours, a thick snow-storm ; at 4 a. m. it cleared ; at six o'clock made 

 a sail ; the strange sail fired a gun and made signal, when we bore 

 down and spoke her ; she proved to be the Vincennes ; compared 

 chronometers, and received rate ; bore off to the westward under all 

 sail ; found the drift and floe-ice very thick, and were with great diffi- 

 culty enabled to navigate through it ; wind fresh, with a long swell 

 from the southwest ; at 5 h 30 m , the ice increasing in quantity, found it 

 was necessary to haul off. Lost sight of the Vincennes ; weather very 

 threatening. The course during the day proved a very tortuous one ; 

 many penguins resting on the ice ; their gait is an awkward kind of 

 strut. 



Received orders to-day by signal to meet the Vincennes along the 

 icy barrier between the 20th and 28th of next month. 



27th. This day proved clear and cold ; wind from the southwest ; 

 ice forming rapidly on the vessel ; at meridian, lost sight of the 

 Vincennes; very many ice-islands in sight; latitude 65° 41' S., longi- 

 tude 142° 31' E. On this day, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold 

 determined with the fair wind to pass to the extreme limit of his 

 orders, longitude 105° E. ; being of opinion he would thereby save 

 time, and be enabled more effectually to examine the barrier with 

 what he thought would be found the prevailing wind, viz. : that from 

 the westward ; in this, however, he was mistaken. 



The 28th set in with a light breeze from east-northeast ; made all 

 sail ; at 5 a. m., wind increasing rapidly, snow falling fast, and weather 

 becoming thick ; at six o'clock, made the floe and drift-ice ; shortened 

 sail, and hauled off to the northwest, it becoming so thick as to render 

 any advance unsafe ; until meridian, very strong winds from the east- 



