Health of the cjcv. - Lieut rn, mi 

 I'inknvy resolvus tu return. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Arrival at (lie Hay of Island* 



1*7 



necessary to reef the foresail, the men were so 

 deficient in physical strength as to make it im- 

 possible to a^ciiiujKlinli it. 



The crew's apartment is in the most deplorable 

 state, leaking lik<^ n sieve, nil their beds being wet, 

 tlnuv clothes on them being so, even to their 

 under flannels, for one irctk, and without a dry 

 change on hand, and no prospect of having one ; 

 so miserable is their situation, that ut length von 

 have been compelled to allot them the cabin, ia 

 common with us, for the purpose of cooking, eating 

 and sleeping. 



Furthermore, sir, in the gale now abating, we 

 find that nearly constant application to the pump 



is barely sufficient to keep the water from il ling 



the cabin-floor, evidently having started a hah; 

 notwithstanding this, the condition of the crew is 

 more imperative, much snore bo in this, our recom- 

 mendation, for a return to the northward ; hi fact, 

 we would cheerfully continue to the southward, if 

 we had a proper crew. 



Lastly, understanding that tho crew, through 

 one of their body, have waited upon you, ami, by 

 written application, also stated their inability to 

 live through these hardship* much longer, and 

 begging your return. 



We are n spcelfully, y< ur obedient servants, 

 (Signed) Gkohok T. Sinclair, 



Acting Master. 

 William May, 

 Geo no t. W, Harrison, 



Parsed Midshipmen. 



LlELT.-Cott. It. F. Pl.NKXEY, 



Commanding U. S. Schooner Fh iug-Fish. 



Lieutenant Pinkney, in accordance with this 

 opinion, and his own conviction of the necessity of 

 an immediate return to milder latitudes, as the 

 only means of restoring the sick, and preserving 

 those on duty, who were thcu incapable of man- 

 aging the vessel without tho assistance of the 

 ollicers, deemed it his duty to steer f«.r the north, 

 which he accordingly did. 



Tho (»th and 7th continued thick, with occasional 

 squalls. On the /tlh. the weather again broke up, 

 when they had several hours of sunshine, which 

 proved of great benefit to the sick. Lieutenant 

 Pinkney was enabled to come again on deck, who 

 had scarcely been able to quit Iub berth since 

 leaving Macquarie Island, from Bickness. They 

 hud reached the longitude of 13£)' 4.V E„ latitude 

 *H° S. At II v.u. the aurora was scon ; it was 

 first visible in the south-east quarter, in spots re- 

 sembling pale moonlight, extending to the zenith, 

 from whence it diverged in ru\x, some of which 

 reached the horizon, but the greatest number ter- 

 minated at an altitude of twenty-five or thirty 

 degrees. On the 9ih, the aurora was also seen in 

 the west, in vertical rays of pale yellow light, com- 

 mencing about five degrees above the horizon, and 

 extending to an altitude of thirty degree*. After 

 a short tune it disappeared, and was again seen in 

 the zenith, radiating in lines to the north-east and 

 west, reaching to within ten degrees of the horizon. 

 The wind wo* from the southward. Temperature 

 34°. The following five days they liad thick wea- 

 ther, and nothing occurred until the evening of the 

 1 when they again had a display of the aurora; 

 the coruscations were frequent and brilliant, hot 

 did not exhibit any different form, until after mid- 



night, when it appeared in arches, reaching nearly 

 to the horizon, at from 4o to 73" of altitude, and 

 composed of short perpendicular lines, blending at 

 one moment into a sheet of misty light, and then 

 breaking out into brighter lines, some of which 

 were broad. It then again shifted to the zenith, 

 with radiations extending in every direction, in 

 straight and wavy lines. The changes were inces- 

 sant, but not shooting. 



Oji the morning of the loth, they again had a 

 display of the aurora. It first appeared in the 

 southern heavens, at an altitude of -IS", Hashing fo 

 the zenith, where it disappeared. After midnight 

 it was again visible in the southern quarter, at 

 about 30° of altitude. Itfiiially centered in a bright 

 spot, which changed into a crescent, with the 

 rounded side to the northward. From (his, fea- 

 thery edged rays of pale orange colour branched 

 off in every direction, over which the prismatic 

 colours seemed to flit in rapid succession. The 

 rays would sometimes fold into one another like a 

 fan, and reach the horizon in one direction, while 

 in another they were drawn up to the zenith, again 

 lo burst forth in repetitions, until lost in daylight. 

 On the 19th, the aurora again appeared in an arch 

 Of 15° altitude. 



They passed the last icebergs in latitude "».*» 30' 

 S., longitude I Jo 3u E. 



On the 22nd they spoke a French whaler from 

 Hobart Town, who expressed much surprise at 

 finding 60 small a ves.se! in Mich high latitudes. 

 The captain sent a boat on board, and invited them 

 to "soup" with him. 



On the 23rd they made the southern island of 

 New Zealand. On the 1st of March they experi- 

 enced a most violent gale. The wind about noon 

 on the 20th of February hauled to tho southward 

 and eastward, and by midnight it blew a gale, 

 hauling to the eastward, until about H i\.m., when 

 its violence moderated. Their latitude was 40° S., 

 longitude 170° 3U' E. For several days previous 

 to this, a noise was heard about the heel of the 

 main-mast ; an examination was had, ami the 

 conclusion arrived at that it worked in the 6tcp, 

 the wedges in the partners having been driven 

 without obviating it. On the. [>ih of March they 

 arrived at the Hay oi Islands, w here they found 

 the gentlemen who had gone there to pursue 

 their researches in natural lustory waiting our 

 arrival. 



The Vinceunes was left on the 2lstof February 

 on her way north. On the night of the 22nd, we 

 had a beautiful and novel appearance of the aurora 

 australis. 



HI ark clouds wi i-' passing rapidly over the sky; 

 an orange glow of light seemed to cover the 

 heavens, emanating from a point, over which 

 flitted rays of the prismatic colours, directed 

 towards the horizon, lighting up both edges of the 

 clouds, and throwing them into bold relief. Tin* 

 rays seemed to dart simultaneously towards the 

 horizon, un reaching which they would seem to be 

 gathered, as if by magic, towards the centre, and 

 slowly vanish, to reappear again and fold up. 



Strong gales from the west -north-west with 

 snow s'qualTs continued until the 27th, with thick 

 misty weather. Numerous ice-islands were passed 

 during this interval. The last iceberg seen, was in 

 the latitude of 53° S. t and longitude 120° 2.V E., 

 the temperature of the water was 40". 



