6b 



The mollusca are very few, though unique. An interesting spe- 

 cies of Pholas ; a beautiful Nucula, and a fine Patella, neither of 

 which I think have been described, comprise all that we saw. 



The existence of a southern continent within the antarctic cir- 

 cle is, I conceive, a matter of much doubt and uncertainty, but 

 that there are extensive groups, or chains of islands yet unknown, 

 I think we have many indications to prove, and were I to express 

 an opinion, I would say, that our course from the south Shetlands 

 to the southwest, until we reached the 101° of west longitude, was 

 at no great distance along the northern shores of one of these 

 chains. The heavy clouds of mist which encircled us so often, 

 could arise from no other cause than that of the influence of large 

 quantities of snow or ice, on the i 

 the hills of floating ice we en 

 than on the land. The drifting fuci we daily saw, grow only in 

 the vicinity of rocky shores, and the penguins and terns, that were 

 almost at all times about us, from my observation of their habits, 

 1 am satisfied, never leave the land at any great distance. During 

 our cruize to the southwest above the 60o of south latitude, we 

 found the current setting continually at a considerable rate to- 

 wards the northeast, bearing the plants and ice along in its 

 course, some of the latter embracing fragments of a rock, the ex- 

 istence of which, we could discover no where on the islands we 

 visited. When the westerly winds drew well toward the south, 

 we were most generally enveloped in banks of fog, so dense that it 

 was with difficulty we could distinguish objects at the distance of 

 the vessel's length. When Palmer's land becomes properly ex- 

 plored, together with the known islands situated between the lon- 

 gitude of Cape Horn and that of Good Hope, I think they will 

 prove to be the north eastern termination of an extensive chain, 

 passing near where Capt. Cook's progress was arrested by tbi 

 firm fields of ice in latitude 7P IC s. and west longitude about 

 105 ; had that skilful navigator succeeded in penetrating this 

 mass of ice, he would unquestionably in a short time have made 

 &e land upon which it was formed. Capt. Weddel after passing 

 the icy barrier to the east of the South Shetlands, succeeded in 

 reachmg the 74° IS' south, (the highest latitude ever attained by 



man,) and found in crossing this chain and 



progressing towards tl 



Decame more free of ice, and the ^ 

 , evidently proving I think, that the south pole 



