48 
On the newly discovered 
were repeatedly observed, which proves that the pre¬ 
vailing winds are from the eastward. It is such accumu¬ 
lations as these which supply the Antarctic ocean with 
one of its grandest features,—its enormous icebergs. 
Late in the afternoon the boats reached their respec¬ 
tive ships, and the time was providential, for in less than 
an hour after a thick mist arose, which barely allowed 
our seeing each other, though close together. This state 
of weather continued for some days, being accompanied 
by a heavy gale from E. by S., and a troublesome sea, 
so that the Expedition lost ground considerably. 
On the weather clearing up, no land was in sight, but 
the ships soon closed it, and continued working their way 
to the southward against a most stubborn wind and sea ; 
and although our daily progress was small in comparison 
with our eager desire, still each day, to our great delight, 
found us advancing south. We reached at length 74° 
15' S., Weddel’s furthest, and being able to see far 
beyond, we were a set of happy fellows, believing, as we 
did, that the Antarctic was our own. 
The scenery of the land which we had been tracing 
for the last two weeks had, perhaps, less of the romantic, 
wild, and inspiring variety of nature, which marks the 
land of vegetation and torrent, but it was strongly charac¬ 
terised by extreme solitude, and omnipotent grandeur, 
which raised in the mind feelings approaching to awe. 
On the 27th January, in latitude 75° 30' S., longitude 
169° E., the blink promised fresh discovery in the south¬ 
east direction from the land last seen. A few hours 
brought a smooth white surface to view ; and a few more 
a sloping declivity of sparkling brightness, which, as we 
approached, showed dark vertical cliffs, proudly sup¬ 
porting a heavy snowy covering, and assuring the anxious 
navigator of more geographical discovery in this hitherto 
unexplored region. 
