Captain WeddeFs Voyage towards the South Pole, 14^ 
1823, arrived in sight of a group of islands, to which Captain 
Weddel gave the name of South Orkney, in latitude 60° 45' S., 
and 45° W. The vessels remained eleven days under sail, exa- 
mining these islands, which Captain Weddel first fell in with 
when in search of land, during a former voyage, in the year 
1821. 
This group he thoroughly investigated, and denominated the 
eastern extremity Cape Dundas, in honour of the Noble Family 
of that name. Captain Weddel describes this country as the 
most sterile and uninviting of any southern land yet discovered. 
The tops of the islands, for the most part, terminate in craggy 
towering peaks, and look not unlike the mountain-tops of a 
sunken land. Professor Jameson has received specimens of 
the principal strata of which these islands are composed, which he 
has presented to the Museum of the University of Edinburgh 
On the 23d of January, Captain Weddel proceeded south- 
ward, amongst innumerable ice-islands, till he reached the la- 
titude of 65°. Perceiving no land in this direction, he returned 
to the latitude 58°; from which he again went south, into the 
latitude of 61° and then ran eastward, till within 100 miles of 
Sandwich Land. 
On the 7th of February he steered to the southward, in ex- 
pectation of still finding a range of land ; which, since the dis- 
covery of South Shetland, has been supposed to lie behind these 
islands, a little within the Antarctic Circle. After passing through 
an extensive barrier of ice-islands, about fifty miles broad, com- 
mencing in the latitude of 68° ; on the 20th of February, he 
actually reached the high latitude of seventy-four degrees Jf- 
teen minutes South. Here^ with very dear weather, he was as- 
tonished to find, that not a single piece ^field-ice, and only four 
ice-islands, were in sight, even as far as the eye could reach 
from the mast-head. 
The state of the sea in this high southern latitude, must ex- 
cite considerable wonder in the minds of men of geographical in- 
quiry ; who^ since the unsuccessful attempt of Captain Cook, to 
advance beyond the 71st degree, have considered these regions 
as impenetrable. As this part of the ocean is not known to have 
been before visited, and has been considered hitherto as unnavi- 
These rooks, as will be described in Captain Weddel’s Narrative, belong to 
the primitive and volcanic classes. 
