468 APPENDIX. 



During the aurora, a single squall of light hail passed over the ship. 

 After a rough and boisterous passage north, we anchored within the 

 Heads at Sydney, on the night of the 21st of February. 



The officers and crew have all enjoyed good health, indeed, we 

 have been for some days past without a man on the sick-list ; and it 

 affords me great pleasure again to bear testimony to the zeal and 

 efficiency of the officers and men in the performance of their various 

 duties. 



I feel quite confident we shall have completed our repairs, and be 

 ready to leave Sydney, in about three weeks. 



I am, sir, most respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



(Signed) Wm. L. Hudson, 



Commander 

 To J. K. Paulding, Esq., 



Secretary of the Navy. 



U. S. Ship Peacock, 



Sydney, New South Wales, 

 March 12th, 1840. 

 Sir, — 



The foregoing report was prepared for the Honourable Secretaryof 

 the Navy, immediately after my arrival in port, but no conveyance 

 having offered, I take leave to address it to you as commander of the 

 squadron ; availing myself of the occasion to add, that we fell in with 

 the first ice, on our passage south, in the latitude of 61° 32' S., longi- 

 tude 161° E., and made the barrier on the 15th of January, in the 

 latitude of 65° 53' S., longitude 159° E., and followed its trendings as 

 far as 67° S., and 150° E. 



Our compasses were at the time exceedingly sluggish, and gave no 

 evidence of the ship changing her position, unless kept in continual 

 agitation by shaking. 



Immediately after my arrival at this port, I commenced the repairs 

 of the Peacock, which are now so far advanced that I shall be ready 

 for such duties as you may assign me by the 25th of the present 

 month. 



The Peacock, as you have seen, has been considerably strained ; 

 and we have found on examination while repairing, that after her 

 gripe was beaten off, the ice had chafed the stem to within one inch 

 and a half of the wood-ends of the planking. 



I trust my efforts to carry out your orders, and the course I have 

 pursued in returning to Sydney, and expediting the repairs of the ship, 



