■^dSS&SR^ 1 ' ANTARCTIC CRUISE. Procwaing. of th. n>i»g-Fi*t,. Io5 



Sarah's Bosom is not the most secure ; that nf 

 Lawrie's is protected from all winds, and has a 

 large and fine streamlet of water at its head. The 

 rocks are covered with limpets, and email fish of 

 many varieties are rnugh t in quantities among the 

 kelp. The crew enjoyed themselves on chowders 

 and fries. No geese were seen, «nd the only game 

 observed were a few gray ducks, snipes, cormorants, 

 and the common shag. The land birds are excel- 

 lent eating, especially the hawks ; and on the 

 whole, it is a very desirahle place at which to refit, 



On the 9th of March they had finished, and 

 were prepared for sea, but the whether was threat- 

 ening and caused them to delay. The magnetic 

 dip was found to be 73" 1 47' 30" S. 



A whaler, under Portuguese colours, but com- 

 manded by an Englishman, arrived, and anchored 

 in Lawrie's Cove, to await the coming of the 

 whales ! The night proved stormy ; the wind at 

 10" 30 11 from the north-east, blowing very heavy 

 in puffs. Towards noon it moderated, and at 2 r.M, 

 they got under way, with a light breeze from the 

 north went, and .stood to sea. 



The latitude of Sarah's Bosom is 50° 38 f S.; the 

 longitude lfffi°28' E. 



On the 1 2th no current was found ; latitude 49* 

 27' S M longitude 168° 13' E. The weather ex- 

 perienced from this port to New Zealand was very 

 similar to that in passing from Cane Horn to Val- 

 paraiso : northerly winds with mist and fog pre- 

 vailing, with a heavy sea. On the 17 th they fell 

 in with the whale-ship Mary and Martha, of Ply- 

 mouth, Coffin, master, who informed ihem that 

 there were at least one hundred whale-ships cruis- 

 ing in the neighbouring seas ; of these, several 

 were seen. This will give some idea of the number 

 of vessels employed, and how great a capital is 

 engaged in tins business. 



(Mi the 18th they had a gnle from north-north- 

 west, which lasted through the day, moderating tit 

 sunset. They were in latitude 43 3 2' S., longi- 

 tude by chronometer, 175" 24 f E. The barometer 

 sank to 29-30 in. A current was experienced 

 setting north-west, io the direction of Cook's 

 Straits. 



On the 20th, in latitude 41° S., longitude 

 1 77° E., the current was found setting uorth-ea*r- 

 by -north, half a mile per hour. On the 22ud , 

 and 23rd they experienced a heavy gale from 

 the south-east, when they were in longitude 179° 

 35 E., and latitude 37 y 52' S. ; during the morn- 

 ing of the latter day the wind hauled to the 

 soulh-eouth-weat ; the barometer, at 3 a.m., stood 

 at 29' 10 in.; the weather cleared, with the wind at 

 south-west. 



On the 26ih, they reached and anchored in the 

 river Kawa-Kawa, in the Pay of Islands, off the 

 American consul's, about three miles above its 

 mouth. Many vessels were passed lying at anchor 

 oft' the town of Kororarika. Here they found the 

 tender Flying-Fish ; all well. 



The cruise of the latter will now be taken up 

 from the 1st of January, on which day she parted 

 company with the Viuceuues, in consequence of 

 having carried away a gaff, and being obliged to 

 shorten sail, in doing which their jib-stay got 

 adrift, and carried away the squarcsail yard be- 

 fore it could be secured. The vessel was in the 

 mean time exposed to a heavy sea heating over 

 her, and at midnight they were compelled to 



faeave-to. They then steered for the first rendez- 

 vous, Macn/iarie Island, where they arrived on 

 the 1 0th, in the afternoon, and saw the Peacock, but 

 it becoming thick, they were not seen by that >liip. 



On the llth, Acting-Master Sinclair landed for 

 the purpose or placing a signal on the inland, 

 agreeably to instructions. The landing was found 

 difficult and dangerous, ami their description of 

 the island agrees with that heretofore given of it 

 from the notes of Mr. Eld, as being dreary and 

 inhospitable. Large numbers of penguins, and 

 small green and yellow paroquets were seen. 

 Near when? they landed, they saw about twenty 

 huge sea-elephants basking on the rocks, which 

 did not seem to heed them : when disturbed, they 

 would only throw their carcasses over, open their 

 mouths, utter a loud growl, and go to sleep again ; 

 no measurement was taken of them, and one which 

 was killed could not be taken in the boat. The 

 soil was soft and spongy, yielding to the pressure of 

 the feet. The staff and signal being planted, they 

 returned on board, and now passed the serf with- 

 out difficulty. 



On the 12th, they put away for the next rendez- 

 vous, Emerald Isle. They reuehed its position on 

 the 1 1th, but nothing was seen of it ; the weather 

 was thick. 



On the Ifith, they kept off to the southward, 

 with the wind from the south-w.st, accompanied 

 with sleet and snow. In latitude 111 0 S., longitude 

 I ti t V. , they saw the first ice. The next day, the 

 19th of January, the water was very much dis 

 coloured ; got a cast of the lead in ninety fathoms; 

 no bottom : passed a number of icebergs that were 

 all fiat on the top. w ith perpendicular sol, ». 



On the 2lst they made the icy barrier, in longi- 

 tude 159" 36' E , and latitude 65" 20' S. From 

 the number of icebergs aud the frequency of snow- 

 squalls, they found great danger in running through 

 them, although the water was quite smooth. 



On the 22nd the weather proved pleasant, and 

 they follow ed the trend of the ice. The ice- islands 

 still showed Hat tops and perpendicular sides, and 

 ihere were a number of birds, seals, and whales 

 around them; they were at noon in longitude loft 0 

 27' E. On this day they were close by an iceberg, 

 from the main body of which a large mass fell 

 with n noise like thunder; tho snow flying into the 

 air resembled smoke, aud the swell produced by 

 the immersion of the fragment caused the schooner 

 to roll water in <m her deck. A number of large 

 penguins were hi sight, differing from any they 

 had heretofore seen. 



Uu the 23rd the weather was pleasant, and they 

 had light winds from the southward aud westward. 

 Longitude 157 J 49' E., latitude 65° 58' S. They 

 continued coasting along the ice in search of an 

 opening. At 8 p.m. they discovered several dark 

 spots, which had the appearance of rocks, and on 

 approaching the margin of the ice, they could make 

 them out to be such with their glasses, but they 

 were situated too far within the field-ice for a boat 

 to get near them. This day being fine, an oppor- 

 tunity was afforded of drying the deck und clothes, 

 and searing the seams w ith a hot iron. The vessel 

 had been very wet, aud her decks leaked badly, 

 notwithstanding the thorough calking aud repairs 

 she had received at Sydney: the crew were almost 

 constantly wet, below as well as above deck. 



On the 21th they were obliged to steer again to 



