150 Froccrdiii&i of the Porpoise. ANTARCTIC CRUISE, Proceedings of tbe Porpoise. 



and considered myself amply repaid for my im- 

 paired health by the important discoveries we had 

 made, and die success that had attended our 

 exertions, 



1 shall now leave the Vincennes to pursue her 

 route northward, aud return to the Por|>oise, the 

 result of whose proceedings will he detailed iu the 

 following chapter. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



ANTARCTIC CR D I SE — (co.vrts ceb). 

 piiorFEDtscj o>- the porpoise from rnr. twknty-iecord to the tii irtieth of janitaht— rutscn iiiimmiok 



BEE*— ITS COMMANDER REFUSES TO SPEAK THE PORPOISE — PROCEEDI NGS DP TO TH V. Til 1 11 J' UK FEBRUARY— 



r..ar.-nmTnp.R phoceedings to the twelfth of February — specimens or aor* obtained— westerk 



LIMIT OF II EE ('BUI RE — (OURS TO TOE EAST* A EO— FORFOISB STANDS TO THE KORTHWA BP — ACCR LA !»D 



is lan ns — -por poire arrives at the bat or islands— cruise or tub rLT<NG-riBM— law diso af mac- 



ftVA BIB'S ISLAND— FRnCEEBlXr.S OP THE rLTIHO-PIIH UP TO THE FOURTH OP FEBRUARY— STATE OF HER 

 CREW— THEIR LETTER TO LI F.TTENANT P1NKNET— HE RESOLVES TO R ETCXN — A RR J V A L Or THE FLYING-PISH 

 AT THE BAY OF ISLANDS— F VENTS PURING THE RETURN OP THE V INCE N K F-S — SH E FAlt.S TO REACH VAN 

 DIEMEN's LAND—AR RIVAL OP THE VINCENNES AT SYDNEY— PEACOCK ForNIJ THERE— RETURN OF THE PEACOCK 

 FROM Tn B ICY BARRIER— SHE MARES MACBlARIE's ISLAND — SHE A RRI FES AT SYDNEY— STATE OF TH r PEACOCK 

 —HOSPITALITIES HfcCtlVP.D AT SYDNEY. 



On the 22nd January, 1840, the Porpoise lost 

 sight of the Peacock, and continued beating to the 

 Roiilli-wtM. The weather was extremely cold; sea- 

 water froze on being a few minutes in the bucket 

 on deck. Souk- shrimps were caught. The water 

 at 9 i'.M. was much discoloured ; got a cast of the 

 lead with two hundred fathoms: no bottom; found 

 the current south-by-east three-fourths of a mile 

 per hour. At 4 h 30™, passed large icebergs, one of 

 which had several dark horizontal veins, appa- 

 rently of earth, through it; large quantities of Hoe 

 and drift-ice to the southward; the sea very smooth. 

 A report of high land wns made this morning ; in- 

 deed every thing indicated the proximity of land. 

 The number of seals, whales, penguins, shrimps-, 

 &c, had very much increased. The pure white 

 pigeons were also seen in numbers. 



23rd, Countless icelwrgs in sight ; the sea quite 

 smooth ; not the slightest motion perceptible. At 

 meridian, they were in latitude GG a 44' S., longitude 

 24' E., and close to the barrier, vihicli ap- 

 peared quite impenetrable, as far as the eye could 

 reach from aloft, to the north-north-west and north- 

 north-east, with numberless immense ice-islands 

 entangled and enclosed in it in all directions. The 

 position they occupied seemed an inlet of elliptical 

 shape, with an opening to the north. It was need- 

 less to count the many scattering islands of ice 

 distinct from the vast chain ; intermingled with 

 field-ice, they studded the gulf like bo many islands, 

 of various shapes and dimensions. At 2 h 25™, a 

 sail was discovered on the lee bow ; kept off to 

 communicate, supposing it to be the VincennoB or 

 Peacock. At 2 h 30"", the Peacock was made out 

 nn the southern board, showing no disposition to 

 communicate ; Bhowed our colours, aud hauled to 

 the westward. 



24tb. The day was remarkably fine, such as is 

 seldom experienced in this region. The water ap- 

 peared 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. 



20th. Part of this day was clear and pleasant, 



though mow fell at intervals ; the field-ice was in 

 sight several times, and many ice-island** of great 

 size and beauty. Penguins were swimming round, 

 and also several shoals of black-fish ; a black 

 albatross wns shot ; towards night the weather 

 became very thick;, they were in longitude 150 3 E., 

 latitude «5 5 5o" S. 



2b'lh. 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 n sail ; the 

 strange sail fired a gun aud made sigiuil, when 

 we bore down and spoke her ; she proved to be 

 the Vincennes ; compared chronometers, and re- 

 ceived rate ; bore off to the westward under all 

 sail ; found the drift and floe-ice very thick, and 

 were with great difficulty enabled to navigate 

 through it ; wind fresh, with a long swell from the 

 south-west; 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 ou the ice ; (heir gait is an 

 awkward kind of stmt. 



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 south-west ; ice forming rapidly on the 

 vessel ; at meridian, Inst sight o( the Vincennes ; 

 very many ice-islands in sight ; latitude 8ft* 41' S., 

 longitude 142° 3P 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 thiw, however, he was mistaken. 



The 28th set in with a light breeze from east- 

 north-cast ; made all anil ; at 5 a m., wind increas- 

 ing rapidly, snow falling fast, and whether becom- 

 ing thick ; at six o'clock, made the floe and drift- 

 ice; shortened sail, and hauled off to the north-west, 

 it becoming so thick ns to render any advance un- 

 safe ; until meridian, very strong winds from tin- 



