Antarctic Discoveries. 
411 
41' south, and longitude 172° 36', land was discovered at the 
distance, as it afterwards proved, of nearly 100 miles, directly 
in the course we were steering, and therefore directly between 
us and the pole. 
Although tills circumstance was viewed at the time with con¬ 
siderable regret, as being likely to defeat one of the more im- 
S ortant objects of the expedition, yet it restored to England the 
onour of the discovery of the southernmost known land, which 
had been nobly won, and for more than twenty years possessed, 
by Russia. 
Continuing our course towards this land for many hours, we 
seemed scarcely to approach it. It rose in lofty mountain peaks 
of from 9000 to 12,000 feet in height, perfectly covered with 
eternal snow ; the glaciers that descended from near the moun¬ 
tain summits, projected many miles into the ocean, and presented 
a perpendicular face of lofty cliffs. As we neared the hind, 
some exposed patches of rock appeared, and steering towards a 
small bay, for the purpose of effecting a landing, we found the 
shore so thickly lined for some miles with bergs and pack-ice, 
and with a heavy swell dashing against it, that we were obliged 
to abandon our purpose and steer towards a more promising 
looking point to the S. E., off’ which we observed several small 
islands ; and on the morning of the 12th I landed, accompanied 
by Commander Crozier and a number of the officers of each 
ship, and took possession of the country in the name of Her 
Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. 
The island on which we landed is composed wholly of igneous 
rocks, numerous specimens of which, with other imbedded mine¬ 
rals, were procured. It is in latitude 71° 56' S., and longitude 
171° 7 E. 
Observing that the east coast of the mainland trended to the 
southward, whilst the north shore took a N.W. direction, I was 
led to hope that, by penetrating to the south as far as practicable, 
it might be possible to pass beyond the magnetic pole, which 
our combined observations placed in 76°S. nearly, and thence, 
by steering westward, complete its circumnavigation. We 
accordingly pursued our course along this magnificent land, 
and on the 23rd January we reached 74° 15' S., the highest 
southern latitude that had ever been attained by any preceding 
navigators, and that by our own countryman, Captain James 
N eddell. 
Although greatly impeded by strong southerly gales, thick 
fogs, and constant snow-storms, we continued the examination 
of the coast to the southward, and on the 27th we again landed 
on an island in latitude 76° 8' S., 168° 12' E., composed, as 
on the former occasion, entirely of igneous rocks. 
Still steering to the southward, early the next morning, the 
28th, a mountain of 12,400 feet above the level of the sea was 
seen, emiting flame and smoke in splendid profusion. This 
