. .„ Foimatlon and size oflccbcrg*. iviunrTtr miliav Evidence la relation to the AMftfttfo 

 Movement oflcv nleng the c.mt. ANIAKCIIC LKUISE. Continent. 



must pass to tlic northward during the next season, 

 partly influenced by the current, and partly scat- 

 tered by the prevailing winds, until they reach the 

 sixtieth decree of latitude, when they encounter 

 the easterly and north -easterly streams that are 

 known to prevail, which carry them rapidly to the 

 north. 



Our data for lluir actual drift, though not alto- 

 gether positive, uiv probably the best than can be 

 had, and will go far towards ascertaining the 

 velocity of their progress to lower latitudes ; our 

 observations also furnish some estimate of the time 

 in which they are h.rmed. < >t 1 our way south, we 

 ditl not fail in with ice-islands until wo reached 

 latitude bT S. The Peacock was the first to re- 

 turn, and nearly upon the track hy which we had 

 yone south ; the last seen by her was in 65 c S. 

 The Viiicemics, on her return fifty days later, saw 

 them in 51° S. The Porpoise, about the same 

 lime, in ~uV S. The observation in the \ iueennes 

 gives a distance of ten degrees of latitude, ur aix 

 hundred miles to ho pasik-d over in fifty days, 

 which would give about half a mile an hour ; or, 

 taking the Peacock's observations, a more rapid 

 rate would be given, nearly three-fourths of a milo. 

 Many icebergs were nut in the latitude of 42° S. f I 

 by outward-bound ships to Sydney, in the month .if 

 November ; these, I learned, were much worn, and 

 showed lofty pinnacles, exhibiting no appearance of 

 having ever been of a tabular form. These no 

 doubt nre such as were d« tached during a former 

 season, and being disengaged from tin* banner, 

 would be naturally, early the next season, drifted 

 hy the easterly current as well as the westerly 

 wind, and would pursue the direction they give 

 them. They would therefore be driven to the 

 north-east as far as the south east winds prevail, 

 and when these veer to ihe westward would receive 

 an easterly direction. It is where these winds pre- 

 vail that they arc most frequently found bv the 

 outward-bound vessels, — between the latitudes of 

 ■NT and MP B. 



Respecting the period of time required for the 

 formation of these ice-islands, much light cannot 

 bo expected to be thrown on the subject ; but the 

 few facts derived from observations lead to some 

 ci inclusions. Many of them were measured, and 

 their altitude found to be from fifty to two hundred 

 and fifty feet ; eighty distinct stralilicati-ins were 

 counted in .some or the highest, and in the Bmallest 

 thirty, which appeared to average a little more 

 than two feel in thiekuc^s. Supposing the average 

 fall of snow in these high latitudes to be an inch a 

 day, or thirty feel a year, the largest icebergs would 

 take more than thirty yea in to form. They were 

 seen by us in all the stages of their growth, and all 

 b<»re unequivocal marks of the same origin. The 

 distance from the land at which they were forming, 

 fully satisfied me that their fresh water could only 

 he derived from the snows, &c. 



The movement of the ice along the eimst is 

 entirely to the westward, and all tin- large rauges 

 of ice-islands and bergs were found in that di- 

 rection, while the eastern portion was compara- 

 tively five from it. A dillV-ivnce was found in tin- 

 position of the floe-ice by the different vessels, 

 caused rather by the wind than by the tide. When 

 the Vinccnnes and Porpoise passed the opening by 

 which the Peacock eutered, it was found closed, 

 although only twenty-four hours liad elapsed. It 



has been seen that the ice had much movement 

 during the time the Peacock was beset by it, and 

 the bay was all but closed when she effected In r 

 escape-. Another instance occurred, where the 

 Porpoise, in about the longitude of I'M 0 E., found 

 the impracticable barrier a few miles further south 

 than the Vincennes did six or seven days after : 

 but this fact id not to he received as warranting 

 any general conclusion, on account of the occur- 

 rence of .-.oath-east gales during the intermediate 

 time. The trials for currents have, for the mast 

 part, shown none to exist Tho Porpoise, it is 

 true, experienced some, but these were general ly 

 after a gale. If currents do exist, their i. ml uey 

 ts westward, which I think the drift of the ice 

 would clearly prove. The difference between the 

 astronomic positions and those given by dead- 

 reckotiings, was of no avail here as a lest*, for the 

 courses of the vessels among the ice were so tor- 

 tuous, that the latter could not he depended upon. 



The wind* which prevail from the south-west to 

 the soiith-eiLst occasionally bring clear weather, 

 interrupted by flurries of snow ; the north wind is 

 light, and brings thick fogs, attended by a rise of 

 temperature. Extremes of weal her are experienced 

 in rapid succession, and it is truly a fickle climate. 



The evidence that an extensive continent lies 

 within the icy barrier, must have appeared in the 

 account of my proceedings, but will be, 1 think, 

 more forcibly exhibited by a comparison with the 

 aspect of other lands in the same southern parallel. 

 Palmer's Land, for instance, which is in like maimer 

 invested with ice, is so at certain seasons of the year 

 only, while at others it is quite dear, because strong 

 currents prevail there, which sweep the ice off i,> 

 the north-east Along tho Antarctic Continent for 

 the whole distance explored, which is upwards of 

 fifteen hundred miles, 110 open strait is found. The 

 coast, where the ice permitted approach, was found 

 enveloped with a perpendicular barrier, in some 

 cases unbroken for fifty miles. If there was only a 

 chain of islands, the outline of the ice would un- 

 doubtedly bo of another form ; and it is scarcely to 

 be conceived lhat so long a chain could extend 

 so nearly in the same parallel of latitude. The 

 land has none of the abruptness of termination 

 that the islands of high southern latitudes ex- 

 hibit; and 1 am satisfied that it exists in one un- 

 interrupted line of coast, from Itinggold's Knoll, 

 in the east, to Enderby's Land, in the west ; that 

 the coast, (at longitude Hfr E.) trends to the north, 

 ami this will account for the icy barrier existing, 

 with little alteration, where it was seen by Cook 

 in 1773. The vast number of ice-islands conclu- 

 sively points out that there is some extensive 

 nucleus which retains them in lln-ir position; for 

 I can wo no reason why the ice sh-uld not be dis- 

 engaged from islands, if they were such, as hap- 

 pens m all other cases in like latitudes. The for- 

 mation of the coast is different from what would 

 probably be found near islands, soundings being 

 id .rained in comparatively shoal water ; and the 

 colour of the water also indicates that it is not like 

 other southern lands, ah nipt and precipitous. This 

 cause is suttieient to retain the huge masses of ice, 

 by their being attached by their lower surfaces 

 instead of their sides only. 



* Hie fact nf there being no northerly ciurottt Mortf; tie, 

 extended line of coa*t p U a utrnajj proof in toy miml nf it-. 

 Mug n continent, inalead »f a ixii^e »{ inJan.ts 



