144 
CRUISE OF HALS. CHALLENGER. 
managed to clear it. After this we endeavoured to use 
our enemy as a breakwater ; but the violence of the 
gale caused a difficulty in bringing the vessel head 
to wind, so there was no other course but to continue 
our drift. As the evening advanced, the weather 
cleared, and during a momentary lull in the storm, 
while passing to leeward of another great iceberg, 
the ship was brought round on the other tack. The 
passage between the two icebergs proved to be clear 
of danger, and the night was spent in drifting back- 
wards and forwards from one to the other, the steam 
enabling the ship to hold her own. It was altogether 
a fearful and perilous night. 
Feb , 27^. — Daylight was hailed with much thank- 
fulness ; the gale still blowing its utmost. However, 
such fierce squalls are never of long duration in these 
latitudes. Most providentially the weather, as the 
day advanced, seemed to subside ; and as there had 
been no mishap, we had much to be thankful for 
in being preserved from the dangers and perils of 
the past twenty-four hours. Later in the day sail was 
made, and we again proceeded on our course. Next 
noon we were in latitude 62° 2' south, longitude 97° 6' 
east, and about 2215 miles from Cape Otway, Vic- 
toria, Australia. Before the strong favouring gale 
good progress was made, every one heartily glad to 
take leave of the desolate icy regions, after our late 
experience of what a gale really was in the Antarctic. 
On the 4th March, in latitude 53° 17' south, longi- 
