Under all these unfavourable circumstances, it was natural for me to think of returning more to the north, seeing no probability of finding any land here, nor a possibility of getting farther south; and to have proceeded to the east, in this latitude, must have been wrong, not only on account of the ice, but because we must have left a vast space of sea to the north unexplored; a space of 24° of latitude, in which a large track of land might have lain. Whether such a supposition was well-grounded, could only be determined by visiting those parts.
While we were taking up ice, we got two of the antarctic peterels so often mentioned, by which our conjectures were confirmed of their being of the peterel tribe. They are about the size of a large pigeon; the feathers of the head, back, and part of the upper side of the wings, are of a light-brown; the belly and under side of the wings, white; the tail-feathers are also white, but tipped with brown: at the same time, we got another new peterel, smaller than the former, and all of a dark-grey plumage. We remarked that these birds were fuller of feathers than any we had hitherto seen; such care has nature taken to clothe them suitably to the climate in which they live. At the same time we saw a few chocolate-coloured albatrosses; these, as well as the peterels above mentioned, we no where saw but among the ice; hence one may, with reason, conjecture that there is land to the south. If not, I must ask where these birds breed? A question which perhaps will never be determined; for hitherto we have found these lands, if any, quite inaccessible. Besides these birds, we saw a very large seal, which kept playing about us some time. One of our people who had been at Greenland called it a sea-horse; but every one else who saw it took it for what I have said. Since our first falling in with the ice, the mercury in the thermometer had been from 33 to 31 at noon-day.
On the 24th, the wind abated, veering to the north-west, and the sky cleared up, in the latitude of 67° 0ʹ, longitude 138° 15ʹ. As we advanced to the north-east, with a gentle gale at north-west, the ice islands increased so fast upon us, that this day at noon we could see near 100 round us, besides an immense number of small pieces. Perceiving that it was likely to be calm, I got the ship into as clear a birth as I could, where she drifted along with the ice; and by taking the advantage of every light air of wind, was kept from falling aboard any of these floating isles. Here it was we spent Christmas-day, much in the same manner as we did the preceding one. We were fortunate in having continual day-light and clear weather; for had it been as foggy as on some of the preceding days, nothing less than a miracle could have saved us from being dashed to pieces.
In the morning of the 26th, the whole sea was in a manner covered with ice, 200 large islands and upwards being seen within the compass of four or five miles, which was the limits of our horizon, besides smaller pieces innumerable. Our latitude at noon was 66° 15ʹ longitude 134° 22ʹ. By observation we found that the ship had drifted, or gone about 20 miles to the north-east or east-north-east, whereas by the ice islands it appeared that she had gone little or nothing; from which we concluded that the ice drifted nearly in the same direction, and at the same rate. At four o’clock a breeze sprung up at west-south-west, and enabled us to steer north, the most probable course to extricate ourselves from these dangers.
We continued our course to the north with a gentle breeze at west, attended with clear weather, till four o’clock the next morning, when, meeting with a quantity of loose ice, we brought to, and took on board as much as filled all our empty casks, and for several days present expence. This done, we made sail, and steered north-west, with a gentle breeze at north-east, clear frosty weather. Our latitude at this time was 65° 53ʹ S., longitude 133° 42ʹ W.; islands of ice not half so numerous as before.
At four in the morning of the 28th, the wind having veered more to the east and south-east, increased to a fresh gale, and was attended with snow showers. Our course was north till noon the next day. Being then in the latitude of 62° 24ʹ, longitude 134° 37ʹ, we steered north-west by north. Some hours after the sky cleared up, and the wind abating, veered more to the south.
On the 30th, had little wind westerly; dark gloomy weather, with snow and sleet at times; several whales seen playing about the ship, but very few birds; islands of ice in plenty, and a swell from west-north-west.
On the 31st, little wind from the westward; fair and clear weather, which afforded an opportunity to air the spare sails, and to clean and smoke the ship betwixt decks. At noon our latitude was 59° 40ʹ S., longitude 135° 11ʹ W. Our observation to-day gave us reason to conjecture that we had a southerly current. Indeed, this was no more than what might reasonably be supposed, to account for such huge masses of ice being brought from the south. In the afternoon, had a few hours’ calm, succeeded by a breeze from the east, which enabled us to resume our north-west by north course.
January 1st, the wind remained not long at east; but veered round by the south to west; blew fresh; attended with snow showers. In the evening, being in the latitude of 58° 39ʹ S. we passed two islands of ice; after which we saw no more till we stood again to the south.
At five o’clock in the morning on the 2d, it fell calm: being at this time in the latitude of 58° 2ʹ, longitude 137° 12ʹ. The calm being succeeded by a breeze at east, we steered N. W. by W. My reason for steering this course was to explore part of the great space of sea between us and our track to the south.