ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 349 



contact with the land, having assumed a dark colour from the clay and 

 sand blown upon them ; the whole group around seemed as if in the 

 vicinage of land; sounded with two hundred fathoms: no bottom ; also 

 tried the current, but found none. Towards night, it becoming thick 

 with snow, they continued under snug sail, intending to examine more 

 closely the barrier and inlets in the morning. 



13th. At 3 a. m. they again made sail to the westward, with wind 

 from the east; at six o'clock they had snow-squalls, rendering it 

 unsafe to proceed, and impossible to make any discovery. A few 

 hours afterwards the weather cleared a little; made sail again to the 

 northwest. At meridian overcast, with a stiff southeast breeze ; at 

 l h 30 m , approached to within pistol-shot of the barrier, observing much 

 of the dark dirty ice interspersed with the field-ice ; kept along it very 

 closely, tracing the barrier northerly; observed a large black object 

 on the ice ; shortened sail, and despatched a boat : it proved to be a 

 large mass of black, red, and mixed-coloured earth, resting upon a 

 base of snow T and ice, situated some fifty yards back from the margin 

 of the field-ice, and was found to be red earth, mixed with granite and 

 sandstone. Penguins were also procured alive. At 3 p. m. they again 

 followed the trend of the ice in a northwesterly direction ; a vast field, 

 of uninterrupted extent, seemed moving along to the westward, the 

 large icebergs containing dark and discoloured masses, with frequent 

 strata of the same description. They were still at a loss to account 

 for these frequent signs of land ; discoloured pieces of ice seemed 

 mingled w T ith the general mass ; they were often seen along its margin, 

 and appeared as though the icebergs had been turned over, presenting 

 collections as if from the bottom. Great numbers of sperm w T hales 

 were seen this day. At 8 p. m. they passed out northwardly w T ith a 

 light breeze and smooth sea, through an extensive chain of icebergs, 

 which seemed grouped off the western point of the barrier : upwards 

 of one hundred of them were counted, several of which were very 

 much discoloured. The sunset was brilliant, bright crimson tints 

 illuminating the icebergs, and producing a beautiful effect. 



On the 14th, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, having passed a 

 few degrees beyond his instructions, that is, having reached longitude 

 100° E., and latitude 64° 15' S., now commenced his return, in order 

 <o examine those places in the barrier which he had been prevented 

 from doing on his way west. 



15th. Continued their course to the eastward. Lieutenant-Comman- 

 dant Ringgold frequently refers to the happy and cheerful condition 

 of his crew, and their freedom from all disease. 



On the 16th and 17th, they were employed in getting to the east- 



2E 



