112 TASMANIA AND THE ANTAKCTIC 
to the simple operation of boring packs, &c., which have 
now vanished, though I am not going to tell everybody 
so ; I do not here refer to travellers who do indeed undergo 
unheard of hardships, but to voyagers who have a snug ship, 
a httle knowledge of the Ice, and due caution is all that is 
required. At one time we thought we were really going 
on to the true South Pole, when we were brought up by the 
land turning from S. to E., where there was a fine Volcano 
spouting fire and smoke in 79° S., covered all over with 
eternal snow, except just round the crater where the heat 
had melted it off. I can give you no idea of the glorious 
views we have here, they are stupendous and imposing, 
especially when there was any fine weather, with the sun 
never setting, among huge bergs, the water and sky both as 
blue, or rather more intensely blue than I have ever seen 
it in the Tropics, and all the coast one mass of beautiful 
peaks of snow, and when the sun gets low they reflect the 
most brilliant tints of gold and yellow and scarlet, and 
then to see the dark cloud of smoke tinged with flame rising 
from the Volcano in one column, one side jet black and the 
other reflecting the colors of the sun, turning off at a right 
angle by some current of wind and extending many miles 
to leeward ; it is a sight far exceeding anything I could 
imagine and which is very much heightened by the idea that 
we have penetrated far farther than was once thought 
practicable, and there is a sort of awe that steals over us 
all in considering our own total insignificance and helpless- 
ness. Everything beyond what we see is enveloped in a 
mystery reserved for future voyagers to fathom. 
But you are all this time wondering what are the fruits 
of this Expedition to me especially. During our stay at 
Lord Auckland's group I made a collection of plants with 
which I hope you will be pleased, among them were two tree 
ferns, and many new species. I have accompanied them 
with as full notes as I could, especially relating to geographical 
position ; there are some most remarkable new genera, and 
I think a new Nat. Ord. among them. . . . 
All my time when we have had fine weather to the 
S. has been taken up in examining them, and I fully 
think that Mr. Brown will be much pleased with the notes 
and drawings, which are numerous ; they must, however, 
