158 



Event* ilnrinn Hie return of the 

 ViiiLenne*. — C»pc Howe. 



ANTARCTIC CUUISE. Up? Jer vis. -Fort Mnrrjusrie. 



Oh the 28th, we found our variation 1° easterly, 

 in the longitude of 131* 50' E., latitude 50' 'Mi' 6.; 

 and in attempting to get a deep-sea sounding of 

 eight hundred and fifty fathom*, wu tost our Six's 

 thermometer by the wire parting. The sea was a 

 deep Hue ; the temperature 45'. Wc found a 

 current sotting west-north-west three-fourths of a 

 knot per hour. The white object was seen at the 

 depth of fifteen fathoms. 



Oil the- 1st of March we bail reached the latitude 

 of the Royal Company's Isles, and I continued to 

 run in nearly the same parallel for eight degrees 

 of longitude, without seeing any signs of the sup- 

 posed land. Having sailed far lo the eastward of 

 their supposed position, 1 again hauled to the 

 northward to proceed to Hobart Town, Van 

 Diemeu's Land, to fill uji our water. Wo now saw 

 a sail, the first during sixty days, which made us 

 feel as if we were returning to a habitable part of 

 the globe. This night we had a brilliant display 

 of tlie aurora austral is, resembling that seen on 

 the 9th of February, with this difference, that it 

 was seen to the southward, extending from cast- 

 south-east to west-south-west. 



On the 5di of March the wind headed us off our 

 course to Hobart Town; I then determined to pro- 

 ceed direct to Sydney, and thus be enabled to 

 Communicate as speedily as possible with the 

 U ni ted Suites. The consideration of getting intelli- 

 gence respecting the other vessels, also led to this 

 determination. I felt, in truth, forebodings that 

 all was not well, from not having met any of the 

 vessels a I the appointed ivnde/Aoua, along the icy 

 barrier ; and 1 was anxious* for their safety, after 

 the severe gale of the 2Hth of January. 



Having reached a lower latitude, the weather 

 had now become pleasant, and we could dispense 

 with our winter clothing,— a relief which the whole 

 of the crew seemed to enjoy. It was the reverse 

 with me; I had a feeling of exhaustion and lassitude 

 that 1 could not account for, and the least exertion 

 caused me much fatigue. 



On the 9th we reached the latitude of Cape 

 Howe, and were seventy miles to the eastward of 

 it. We there experienced a rise in the temperature 

 of the water: six degrees iu less than au hour. 



(hi the |0th, when off Cnj*> Jen is, and uhoitt 

 forty miles to the eastward of it, we again elt;iii_' 1 

 the temperature from (Jh*° to 7^°, as we steered iu 

 for the land to the northward, but on hauling to 

 the eastward it again fell to t',H\ A strung 

 Southerly current has been long known to exist 

 along this coast ; and I feel well satisfied that the 

 thermometer is a good guide in making the passage 

 from the southward. The coasting vessels, as I 

 %vas informed at Sydney, had frequently made long 

 passages from Van liienien's Land and South 

 Australia, winch I have hut little doubt is owing 

 to the prevalence of this minor Oulf Stream, lite 

 ]sitdtion of which the use of the thermometer will 

 clearly indicate. This current will bo noticed 

 particularly in the chapter on currents; its width 

 no doubt varies with the season. 



On the 1 1 lli of March, at imon, we passed the 

 Heads of Port Juckson, and took a pilot. We were, 

 as a body, in better condition than when we left 

 Sydney three months before. 



In au hour afterwards we dropped our anchor in 

 Farm Cove, off Fort Mucquario. Our reception 

 was Haltering ; scarcely was our nnchor well down 



before many of our friends came mi board to bid 

 us welcome; and we felt tenfold that kind hospitality 

 which on our former visit we had first become 

 acquainted with. They appeared to rejoice in our 

 success as if we liad been their countrymen. 



During our absence from Sydney, many improve- 

 ments had taken place. The storehouses for the 

 deposit of grain on an island iu the harbour were, 

 in rapid progress ; the new government-house 

 nearly completed, and the foundation of an ex- 

 change laid ; besides this, many improvements hi 

 town that were then in progress hud been com- 

 pleted ; and the rapidity with which these works 

 had been accomplished, strongly reminded me of 

 similar operations at home. 



The country was looking quite green and pretty; 

 indeed, the sail up the noble harbour was truly 

 beautiful ; it wore quite a different face from its 

 former parched appearance, the rains having been 

 abundant during our absence. 



Observations were obtained for the rates of our 

 chronometers, and the magnetic needles again ex- 

 perimented with. 



On overhauling my ship, the fore-topmast was 

 found to he slightly sprung. 



It was with great pleasure I learned the safety 

 of the Peacock ; for tliat vessel had occupied my 

 thoughts more than the others, on account of the 

 condition iu which hho left Sydney. All on board 

 of her were well, and the vessel was undergoing 

 repairs iu Mossmairs Cove, one of the many which 

 this harbour forms. These coves may be termed 

 wet-docks, affording as they do every facility for 

 the repair of vessels of any size. They are more 

 like artificial than natural basins, and are secure 

 against any wind. There is no port iu the world 

 that offers so many natural advantage* as I'orl 

 Jackson, for a great naval power. We had many 

 things to relate to each other ; among others, the 

 particulars of the accident that befell the Peacock, 

 that has already been noticed. The return of that 

 vessel to this port now claims our attention. 



On the 28th of January, their sickdist had in- 

 creased to thirteen, more iu consequence of tin- 

 fatigue the men had undergone, than from any 

 disease. 



On the 29th, they experienced strong galea from 

 the north-west, which continued to increase until 

 midnight, after which the weather moderated. The 

 ship during this gale was in latitude 111 0 20' S., 

 and longitude 154° 9' E. This gale in remarkable, 

 in consequence of its blowiug in a contrary direc- 

 tion to that which the Viuceuuea experienced on 

 the same day ; while the former had it from the 

 north-west, the latter hud it from south-east. Their 

 distance apart was four hundred and fifty miles, in 

 a north-east direction. 



On the 1st of February the weather was stormy 

 until towards evening, when it moderated and 

 clearer] off, with the wind to the north-west, and 

 gave them a view of the aurora australis lighting 

 up the southern portion of the horizon. Hays were 

 thrown out in different directions, some reaching 

 an altitude of 30*, others of 40% whilst udiera 

 again almost spanned the heavens. 



On the 2nd, they had another display tit the 

 aurora, but contrary to that of the previous day, it 

 was first seen at an altitude of "O 3 , diverging 

 towards the horizon, from east-south-east to the 

 soulh-west-hy-wcst, before it disappeared. The 



