The thick fog continued till two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, when it cleared away a little, and we made sail to the southward, wind still at N.W. a gentle gale. We had not run long to the southward before we fell in with the main field of ice extending from S.S.W. to E. We now bore away to east along the edge of it; but at night hauled off north, with the wind at W.N.W., a gentle gale, attended with snow.
At four in the morning on the 17th, stood again to the south; but was again obliged to bear up on account of the ice, along the side of which we steered betwixt E. and S.S.W., hauling into every bay or opening, in hopes of finding a passage to the south. But we found every where the ice closed. We had a gentle gale at N.W. with showers of snow. At noon we were, by observation, in the latitude of 55° 16' S. In the evening the weather was clear and serene. In the course of this day we saw many whales, one seal, penguins, some of the white birds, another sort of peterel, which is brown and white, and not much unlike a pintado; and some other sorts already known. We found the skirts of the loose ice to be more broken than usual; and it extended some distance beyond the main field, insomuch that we sailed amongst it the most part of the day; and the high ice islands without us were innumerable. At eight o'clock we sounded, but found no ground with 250 fathoms of line. After this we hauled close upon a wind to the northward, as we could see the field of ice extend as far as N.E. But this happened not to be the northern point; for at eleven o'clock we were obliged to tack to avoid it.
At two o'clock the next morning we stood again to the northward, with the wind at N.W. by W., thinking to weather the ice upon this tack; on which we stood but two hours, before we found ourselves quite imbayed, being then in latitude 55° 8', longitude 24° 3'. The wind veering more to the north, we tacked and stood to the westward under all the sail we could carry, having a fresh breeze and clear weather, which last was of short duration. For at six o'clock it became hazy, and soon after there was thick fog; the wind veered to the N.E., freshened and brought with it snow and sleet, which froze on the rigging as it fell. We were now enabled to get clear of the field of ice: but at the same time we were carried in amongst the ice islands, in a manner equally dangerous, and which with much difficulty we kept clear of.
Dangerous as it is to sail among these floating rocks (if I may be allowed to call them so) in a thick fog, this, however, is preferable to being entangled with immense fields of ice under the same circumstances. The great danger to be apprehended in this latter case, is the getting fast in the ice; a situation which would be exceedingly alarming. I had two men on board that had been in the Greenland trade; the one of them in a ship that lay nine weeks, and the other in one that lay six weeks, fast in this kind of ice, which they called packed ice. What they called field ice is thicker; and the whole field, be it ever so large, consists of one piece. Whereas this which I call field-ice, from its immense extent, consists of many pieces of various sizes, both in thickness and surface, from thirty or forty feet square to three or four, packed close together, and in places heaped one upon another. This, I am of opinion, would be found too hard for a ship's side, that is not properly armed against it. How long it may have lain, or will lie here, is a point not easily determined. Such ice is found in the Greenland seas all the summer long; and I think it cannot be colder there in the summer, than it is here. Be this as it may, we certainly had no thaw; on the contrary, the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer kept generally below the freezing point, although it was the middle of summer.
It is a general opinion, that the ice I have been speaking of, is formed in bays and rivers. Under this supposition we were led to believe that land was not far distant; and that it even lay to the southward behind the ice, which alone hindered us from approaching to it. Therefore, as we had now sailed above thirty leagues along the edge of the ice, without finding a passage to the south, I determined to run thirty or forty leagues to the east, afterwards endeavour to get to the southward, and, if I met with no land, or other impediment, to get behind the ice, and put the matter out of all manner of dispute. With this view, we kept standing to the N.W., with the wind at N.E. and N., thick foggy weather, with sleet and snow, till six in the evening, when the wind veered to N.W., and we tacked and stood to the eastward, meeting with many islands of ice of different magnitudes, and some loose pieces: The thermometer from 30 to 34; weather very hazy, with sleet and snow, and more sensibly colder than the thermometer seemed to point out, insomuch that the whole crew complained. In order to enable them to support this weather the better, I caused the sleeves of their jackets (which were so short as to expose their arms) to be lengthened with baize; and had a cap made for each man of the same stuff, together with canvas; which proved of great service to them.
Some of our people appearing to have symptoms of the scurvy, the surgeons began to give them fresh wort every day, made from the malt we had on board for that purpose. One man in particular was highly scorbutic; and yet he had been taking the rob of lemon and orange for some time, without being benefited thereby. On the other hand, Captain Furneaux told me, that he had two men, who, though far gone in this disease, were now in a manner entirely cured by it.[6]
[6] "The encomiums on the efficacy of malt cannot be exaggerated, and this useful remedy ought never to be forgotten on board of ships bound on long voyages; nor can we bestow too much care to prevent its becoming damp and mouldy, by which means its salutary qualities are impaired, as we experienced during the latter part of our voyage."-- G.F.
We continued standing to the eastward till eight o'clock in the morning of the 21st; when, being in the latitude of 53° 50', and longitude 29° 24' E., we hauled to the south, with the wind at west, a fresh gale and hazy, with snow. In the evening the wind fell and the weather cleared up, so as that we could see a few leagues round us; being in the latitude of 54° 43' S. longitude 29° 30' E.
At ten o'clock, seeing many islands of ice a-head, and the weather coming on foggy, with snow, we wore and stood to the northward, till three in the morning, when we stood again to the south. At eight, the weather cleared up, and the wind came to W.S.W., with which we made all the sail we could to the south; having never less than ten or twelve islands of ice in sight.
Next day we had the wind at S.W. and S.S.W., a gentle gale, with now and then showers of snow and hail. In the morning, being in the latitude of 55° 20' S., and longitude 31° 30' E., we hoisted out a boat to see if there was any current, but found none. Mr Forster, who went in the boat, shot some of the small grey birds before-mentioned, which were of the peterel tribe, and about the size of a small pigeon. Their back, and upper side of their wings, their feet and bills, are of a blue-grey colour. Their bellies, and under side of their wings are white, a little tinged with blue. The upper side of their quill feathers is a dark-blue tinged with black. A streak is formed by feathers nearly of this colour, along the upper parts of the wings, and crossing the back a little above the tail. The end of the tail feathers is also of the same colour. Their bills are much broader than any I have seen of the same tribe; and their tongues are remarkably broad. These blue peterels, as I shall call them, are seen no where but in the southern hemisphere, from about the latitude of 28°, and upwards. Thermometer at 33° in the open air, and 32° in the sea at the surface, and at 34-1/2 when drawn, and 6-1/2 minutes in drawing up from 100 fathoms below it, where it had been sixteen minutes.
On the 24th, the wind blew from N.W. to N.E., a gentle gale, fair and cloudy. At noon we were by observation, in the latitude of 56° 31' S, and longitude 31° 19' E., the thermometer at 35. And being near an island of ice, which was about fifty feet high, and 400 fathoms in circuit, I sent the master in the jolly-boat to see if any water run from it. He soon returned with an account that there was not one drop, or any other appearance of thaw. In the evening we sailed through several floats, or fields of loose ice, lying in the direction of S.E. and N.W.; at the same time we had continually several islands of the same composition in sight.
On the 25th, the wind veering round from the N.E., by the east to south, it blew a gentle gale; with which we stood to the W.S.W, and at noon were in the latitude of 57° 50' S., and longitude 29° 32' E. The weather was fair and cloudy; the air sharp and cold, attended with a hard frost. And, although this was the middle of summer with us, I much question if the day was colder in any part of England. The wind continued at south, blew a fresh gale, fair and cloudy weather, till near noon the next day, when we had clear sun-shine, and found ourselves, by observation, in the latitude of 58° 31' S., longitude 26° 57' E.
In the course of the last twenty-four hours we passed through several fields of broken loose ice. They were in general narrow, but of a considerable length, in the direction of N.W. and S.E. The ice was so close in one, that it would hardly admit the ship through it. The pieces were flat, from four to six or eight inches thick, and appeared of that sort of ice which is generally formed in bays or rivers. Others again were different; the pieces forming various honey-combed branches, exactly like coral rocks, and exhibiting such a variety of figures as can hardly be conceived.
We supposed this ice to have broke from the main field we had lately left; and which I was determined to get to the south of, or behind, if possible, in order to satisfy myself whether or not it joined to any land, as had been conjectured. With this view I kept on to the westward, with a gentle gale at south, and S.S.W., and soon after six o'clock in the evening, we saw some penguins, which occasioned us to sound; but we found no ground with 150 fathoms.
In the morning of the 27th, we saw more loose ice, but not many islands; and those we did see were but small. The day being calm and pleasant, and the sea smooth, we hoisted out a boat, from which Mr Forster shot a penguin and some peterels. These penguins differ not from those seen in other parts of the world, except in some minute particulars distinguishable only by naturalists. Some of the peterels were of the blue sort, but differed from those before-mentioned, in not having a broad bill; and the ends of their tail feathers were tipped with white instead of dark-blue. But whether these were only the distinctions betwixt the male and female, was a matter disputed by our naturalists. We were now in the latitude of 58° 19' S., longitude 24° 39' E., and took the opportunity of the calm, to sound; but found no ground with a line of 220 fathoms. The calm continued till six in the evening, when it was succeeded by a light breeze from the east, which afterwards increased to a fresh gale.
In the morning of the 28th I made the signal to the Adventure to spread four miles on my starboard beam; and in this position we continued sailing W.S.W., until four o'clock in the afternoon, when the hazy weather, attended with snow showers, made it necessary for us to join. Soon after we reefed our top-sails, being surrounded on all sides with islands of ice. In the morning of the 29th we let them out again, and set top-gallant-sails; still continuing our course to the westward, and meeting with several penguins. At noon we were by observation in the latitude of 59° 12', longitude 19° 1' E., which is 3° more to the west than we were when we first fell in with the field of ice; so that it is pretty clear that it joined to no land, as we conjectured.
Having come to a resolution to run as far west as the meridian of Cape Circumcision, provided we met with no impediment, as the distance was not more than eighty leagues, the wind favourable, and the sea seemed to be pretty clear of ice, I sent on board for Captain Furneaux, to make him acquainted therewith, and after dinner he returned to his ship. At one o'clock we steered for an island of ice, thinking if there were any loose ice round it, to take some on board, and convert it into fresh water. At four we brought-to, close under the lee of the island, where we did not find what we wanted, but saw upon it eighty-six penguins. This piece of ice was about half a mile in circuit, and one hundred feet high and upwards, for we lay for some minutes with every sail becalmed under it. The side on which the penguins were, rose sloping from the sea, so as to admit them to creep up it.
It is a received opinion, that penguins never go far from land, and that the sight of them is a sure indication of its vicinity. The opinion may hold good where there are no ice islands; but where such are, these birds, as well as many others which usually keep near the shores, finding a roosting-place upon these islands, may be brought by them a great distance from any land. It will, however, be said, that they must go on shore to breed, that probably the females were there, and that these are only the males which we saw. Be this as it may, I shall continue to take notice of these birds whenever we see them, and leave every one to judge for himself.
We continued our course to the westward, with a gentle gale at E.N.E., the weather being sometimes tolerably clear, and at other times thick and hazy, with snow. The thermometer for a few days past was from 31 to 36. At nine o'clock the next morning, being the 30th, we shot one of the white birds, upon which we lowered a boat into the water to take it up, and by that means killed a penguin which weighed eleven pounds and a half. The white bird was of the peterel tribe; the bill, which is rather short, is of a colour between black and dark blue, and their legs and feet are blue. I believe them to be the same sort of birds that Bouvet mentions to have seen when he was off Cape Circumcision.
We continued our westerly course till eight o'clock in the evening, when we steered N.W., the point on which I reckoned the above-mentioned cape to bear. At midnight we fell in with loose ice, which soon after obliged us to tack, and stretch to the southward. At half an hour past two o'clock in the morning of the 31st, we stood for it again, thinking to take some on board, but this was found impracticable; for the wind, which had been at N.E, now veered to S.E., and increasing to a fresh gale, brought with it such a sea as made it very dangerous for the ships to remain among the ice. The danger was yet farther increased by discovering an immense field to the north, extending from N.E. by E. to S.W. by W. farther than the eye could reach. As we were not above two or three miles from this, and surrounded by loose ice, there was no time to deliberate. We presently wore; got our tacks on board; hauled to the south, and soon got clear; but not before we had received several hard knocks from the loose pieces, which were of the largest sort, and among which we saw a seal. In the afternoon the wind increased in such a manner, as to oblige us to hand the top-sails, and strike top-gallant-yards. At eight o'clock we tacked and stood to the east till midnight; when being in the latitude of 60° 21' S., longitude 13° 32' E, we stood again to the west.
Next day, towards noon, the gale abated, so that we could carry close- reefed top-sails. But the weather continued thick and hazy, with sleet and snow, which froze on the rigging as it fell, and ornamented the whole with icicles; the mercury in the thermometer being generally below the freezing point. This weather continued till near noon the next day; at which time we were in the latitude of 59° 12' S.; longitude 9° 45' E.; and here we saw some penguins.
The wind had now veered to the west, and was so moderate, that we could bear two reefs out of the top-sails. In the afternoon, we were favoured with a sight of the moon, whose face we had seen but once since we left the Cape of Good Hope. By this a judgment may be formed of the sort of weather we had since we left that place. We did not fail to seize the opportunity to make several observations of the sun and moon. The longitude deduced from it was 9° 34' 30" E. Mr Kendal's watch, at the same time, giving 10° 6' E., and the latitude was 58° 53' 30" S.
This longitude is nearly the same that is assigned to Cape Circumcision; and at the going down of the sun we were about ninety-five leagues to the south of the latitude it is said to lie in. At this time the weather was so clear, that we might have seen land at fourteen or fifteen leagues distance. It is, therefore very probable, that what Bouvet took for land, was nothing but mountains of ice, surrounded by loose or field-ice. We ourselves were undoubtedly deceived by the ice-hills, the day we first fell in with the field-ice. Nor was it an improbable conjecture, that that ice joined to land. The probability was however now greatly lessened, if not entirely set aside; for the space between the northern edge of the ice, along which we sailed, and our route to the west, when south of it, no where exceeded 100 leagues, and in some places not 60. The clear weather continued no longer than three o'clock the next morning, when it was succeeded by a thick fog, sleet, and snow. The wind also veered to N.E. and blew a fresh gale, with which we stood to S.E. It increased in such a manner, that before noon we were brought under close-reefed top-sails. The wind continued to veer to the north, at last fixed at N.W., and was attended with intervals of clear weather.
Our course was E. 1/4 N., till noon the next day, when we were in the latitude of 59° 2' S., and nearly under the same meridian as we were when we fell in with the last field of ice, five days before; so that had it remained in the same situation, we must now have been in the middle of it, whereas we did not so much as see any. We cannot suppose that so large a float of ice as this was, could be destroyed in so short a time. It therefore must have drifted to the northward: and this makes it probable that there is no land under this meridian, between the latitude of 55° and 59°, where we had supposed some to lie, as mentioned above.
As we were now only sailing over a part of the sea where we had been before, I directed the course E.S.E. in order to get more to the south. We had the advantage of a fresh gale, and the disadvantage of a thick fog; much snow and sleet, which, as usual, froze on our rigging as it fell; so that every rope was covered with the finest transparent ice I ever saw. This afforded an agreeable sight enough to the eye, but conveyed to the mind an idea of coldness, much greater than it really was; for the weather was rather milder then it had been for some time past, and the sea less encumbered with ice. But the worst was, the ice so clogged the rigging, sails, and blocks, as to make them exceedingly bad to handle. Our people, however, surmounted those difficulties with a steady perseverance, and withstood this intense cold much better than I expected.
We continued to steer to the E.S.E. with a fresh gale at N.W. attended with snow and sleet, till the 8th, when we were in the latitude of 61° 12' S., longitude 31° 47' E. In the afternoon we passed more ice islands than we had seen for several days. Indeed they were now so familiar to us, that they were often passed unnoticed; but more generally unseen on account of the thick weather. At nine o'clock in the evening, we came to one, which had a quantity of loose ice about it. As the wind was moderate, and the weather tolerably fair, we shortened sail, and stood on and off, with a view of taking some on board on the return of light. But at four o'clock in the morning, finding ourselves to leeward of this ice, we bore down to an island to leeward of us; there being about it some loose ice, part of which we saw break off. There we brought-to; hoisted out three boats; and in about five or six hours, took up as much ice as yielded fifteen tons of good fresh water. The pieces we took up were hard, and solid as a rock; some of them were so large, that we were obliged to break them with pick- axes before they could be taken into the boats.
The salt water which adhered to the ice, was so trifling as not to be tasted, and, after it had lain on deck for a short time, entirely drained off; and the water which the ice yielded, was perfectly sweet and well- tasted. Part of the ice we broke in pieces, and put into casks; some we melted in the coppers, and filled up the casks with the water; and some we kept on deck for present use. The melting and stowing away the ice is a little tedious, and takes up some time; otherwise this is the most expeditious way of watering I ever met with.[7]
[7] "That water melted from the ice usually found floating in the sea is fresh and good, is no new discovery. The Hudson's Bay ships have long made use of it; and I have mentioned it, from my own experience, in the account of a voyage to Hudson's Bay." See Phil. Trans. vol. 60.--W. This is a solitary but most unexceptionable evidence. Mr Forster, in the article before alluded to, has not failed to point out much more.--E.
Having got on board this supply of water, and the Adventure about two- thirds as much (of which we stood in great need,) as we had once broke the ice, I did not doubt of getting more whenever we were in want. I therefore without hesitation directed our course more to the south, with a gentle gale at N.W., attended, as usual, with snow showers. In the morning of the 11th, being then in the latitude of 62° 44' S., longitude 37° E., the variation of the compass was 24° 10' W., and the following morning in the latitude of 64° 12' S., longitude 38° 14' E., by the mean of three compasses, it was no more than 23° 52' W. In this situation we saw some penguins; and being near an island of ice from which several pieces had broken, we hoisted out two boats, and took on board as much as filled all our empty casks, and the Adventure did the same. While this was doing, Mr Forster shot an albatross, whose plumage was of a colour between brown and dark-grey, the head and upper side of the wings rather inclining to black, and it had white eye-brows. We began to see these birds about the time of our first falling in with the ice islands; and some have accompanied us ever since. These, and the dark-brown sort with a yellow bill, were the only albatrosses that had not now forsaken us.
At four o'clock p.m. we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at S. by W., attended with showers of snow.
On the 13th, at two o'clock a. m. it fell calm. Of this we took the opportunity to hoist out a boat, to try the current, which we found to set N.W. near one-third of a mile an hour. At the time of trying the current, a Fahrenheit's thermometer was immerged in the sea 100 fathoms below its surface, where it remained twenty minutes. When it came up, the mercury stood at 32, which is the freezing point. Some little time after, being exposed to the surface of the sea, it rose to 33-1/2, and in the open air to 36. The calm continued till five o'clock in the evening, when it was succeeded by a light breeze from the S. and S.E., with which we stood to the N.E. with all our sails set.
Though the weather continued fair, the sky, as usual, was clouded. However, at nine o'clock the next morning, it was clear; and we were enabled to observe several distances between the sun and moon. The mean result of which gave 39° 30' 30" E. longitude. Mr Kendal's watch at the same time gave 38° 27' 45" which is 1° 2' 45" W. of the observations; whereas, on the 3d instant, it was half a degree E. of them.
In the evening I found the variation by the mean of azimuths taken with
Gregory's compass to be 28° 14' 0"
By the mean of six azimuths by one of Dr
Knight's 28 32 0
And by another of Dr Knight's 28 34 0
Our latitude at this time was 63° 57', longitude 39° 38-1/2"
The succeeding morning, the 15th, being then in latitude 63° 33' S., the
longitude was observed by the following persons, viz.
Myself, being the mean of six distances of
the sun and moon 40° 1' 45" E.
Mr Wales, ditto 39 29 45
Ditto, ditto 39 56 45
Lieutenant Clerke, ditto 39 38 0
Mr Gilbert, ditto 39 48 45
Mr Smith, ditto 39 18 15
----------
Mean 39 42 12
Mr Kendal's watch made 38 41 30which is nearly the same difference as the day before. But Mr Wales and I took each of us six distances of the sun and moon, with the telescopes fixed to our sextants, which brought out the longitude nearly the same as the watch.
The results were as follows:--By Mr Wales, 38° 35' 30", and by me, 38° 36' 45".
It is impossible for me to say whether these or the former are the nearest to the truth; nor can I assign any probable reason for so great a disagreement. We certainly can observe with greater accuracy through the telescope, than with the common sight, when the ship is sufficiently steady. The use of the telescope is found difficult at first, but a little practice will make it familiar. By the assistance of the watch, we shall be able to discover the greatest error this method of observing the longitude at sea is liable to; which at the greatest does not exceed a degree and a half, and in general will be found to be much less. Such is the improvement navigation has received by the astronomers and mathematical instrument- makers of this age; by the former from the valuable tables they have communicated to the public, under the direction of the Board of Longitude, and contained in the astronomical ephemeris; and by the latter, from the great accuracy they observe in making instruments, without which the tables would, in a great measure, lose their effect. The preceding observations were made by four different sextants, of different workmen. Mine was by Mr Bird; one of Mr Wales's by Mr Dollond; the other and Mr Clerke's by Mr Ramsden; as also Mr Gilbert's and Smith's, who observed with the same instrument.
Five tolerably fine days had now succeeded one another. This, besides giving us an opportunity to make the preceding observations, was very serviceable to us on many other accounts, and came at a very seasonable time. For, having on board a good quantity of fresh water, or ice, which was the same thing, the people were enabled to wash and dry their clothes and linen; a care that can never be enough attended to in all long voyages. The winds during this time blew in gentle gales, and the weather was mild. Yet the mercury in the thermometer never rose above 36; and was frequently as low as the freezing point.
In the afternoon having but little wind, I brought-to under an island of ice, and sent a boat to take up some. In the evening the wind freshened at east, and was attended with snow showers and thick hazy weather, which continued great part of the 16th. As we met with little ice, I stood to the south, close hauled; and at six o'clock in the evening, being in the latitude of 64° 56' S., longitude 39° 35' E. I found the variation by Gregory's compass to be 26° 41' W. At this time the motion of the ship was so great that I could by no means observe with any of Dr Knight's compasses.
As the wind remained invariably fixed at E. and E. by S., I continued to stand to the south; and on the 17th, between eleven and twelve o'clock, we crossed the Antarctic Circle in the longitude of 39° 35' E., for at noon we were by observation in the latitude of 66° 36' 30" S. The weather was now become tolerably clear, so that we could see several leagues round us; and yet we had only seen one island of ice since the morning. But about four p.m. as we were steering to the south, we observed the whole sea in a manner covered with ice, from the direction of S.E., round by the S. to W.
In this space, thirty-eight ice islands, great and small, were seen, besides loose ice in abundance, so that we were obliged to luff for one piece, and bear up for another, and as we continued to advance to the south, it increased in such a manner, that at three quarters past six o'clock, being then in the latitude of 67° 15' S., we could proceed no farther; the ice being entirely closed to the south, in the whole extent from E. to W.S.W., without the least appearance of any opening. This immense field was composed of different kinds of ice; such as high hills, loose or broken pieces packed close together, and what, I think, Greenlandmen call field-ice. A float of this kind of ice lay to the S.E. of us, of such extent, that I could see no end to it from the mast-head. It was sixteen or eighteen feet high at least; and appeared of a pretty equal height and surface. Here we saw many whales playing about the ice, and for two days before had seen several flocks of the brown and white pintadoes, which we named Antarctic peterels, because they seem to be natives of that region. They are, undoubtedly, of the peterel tribe; are in every respect shaped like the pintadoes, differing only from them in colour. The head and fore-part of the body of these are brown; and the hind-part of the body, tail, and the ends of the wings, are white. The white peterel also appeared in greater numbers than before; some few dark-grey albatrosses, and our constant companion the blue peterel. But the common pintadoes had quite disappeared, as well as many other sorts, which are common in lower latitudes.
SECTION III.
Sequel of the Search for a Southern Continent, between the Meridian of the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand; with an Account of the Separation of the two Ships, and the Arrival of the Resolution in Dusky Bay.
After meeting with this ice, I did not think it was at all prudent to persevere in getting farther to the south; especially as the summer was already half spent, and it would have taken up some time to have got round the ice, even supposing it to have been practicable; which, however, is doubtful. I therefore came to a resolution to proceed directly in search of the land lately discovered by the French. And, as the winds still continued at E. by S., I was obliged to return to the north, over some part of the sea I had already made myself acquainted with, and, for that reason, wished to have avoided. But this was not to be done, as our course made good, was little better than north. In the night the wind increased to a strong gale, attended with sleet and snow, and obliged us to double-reef our top-sails. About noon the next day the gale abated, so that we could bear all our reefs out; but the wind still remained in its old quarter.
In the evening, being in the latitude of 64° 12' S., longitude 40° 15' E., a bird, called by us in my former voyage Port Egmont Hen, (on account of the great plenty of them at Port Egmont in Falkland Isles,) came hovering several times over the ship, and then left us in the direction of N.E. They are a short thick bird, about the size of a large crow, of a dark-brown or chocolate colour, with a whitish streak under each wing, in the shape of a half-moon. I have been told that these birds are found in great plenty at the Fero Isles, North of Scotland; and that they never go far from land. Certain it is, I never before saw them above forty leagues off; but I do not remember ever seeing fewer than two together; whereas here was but one, which, with the islands of ice, may have come a good way from land.
At nine o'clock, the wind veering to E.N.E., we tacked and stood to the S.S.E, but at four in the morning of the 20th, it returned back to its old point, and we resumed our northerly course. One of the above birds was seen this morning, probably the same we saw the night before, as our situation was not much altered. As the day advanced, the gale increased, attended with thick hazy weather, sleet, and snow, and at last obliged us to close- reef our top-sails, and strike top-gallant-yards. But in the evening the wind abated so as to admit us to carry whole top-sails, and top-gallant- yards aloft. Hazy weather, with snow and sleet continued.
In the afternoon of the 21st, being in the latitude of 62° 24' S., longitude 42° 19' E., we saw a white albatross with black tipped wings, and a pintado bird. The wind was now at S. and S.W., a fresh gale. With this we steered N.E., against a very high sea, which did not indicate the vicinity of land in that quarter; and yet it was there we were to expect it. The next day we had intervals of fair weather, the wind was moderate, and we carried our studding-sails.[1] In the morning of the 23d, we were in latitude of 60° 27' S., longitude 45° 33' E. Snow showers continued, and the weather was so cold, that the water in our water-vessels on deck had been frozen for several preceding nights.
[1] "The two time-keepers being put on each side of the great cabin, I put a thermometer by each, and before a fire was kept in the cabin, I never saw them differ more than half a degree; but since there has been a fire, I have constantly found that thermometer highest, which happened to be on the weather-side, sometimes by three degrees, whereas one would naturally have expected it to have been just the contrary."--W.
The rapidity of the current of moist air would be no doubt greater on the other side, and therefore, as moisture occasions cold, would lower the thermometer on that side. On the weather-side, on the contrary, the air would be less quickly changed, and of course preserve greater uniformity of temperature. This explanation, however, depends on a certain supposition as to the form of the cabin, and its kind of communication with the external air.--E.
Having clear weather at intervals, I spread the ships a-breast four miles from each other, in order the better to discover any thing that might lie in our way. We continued to sail in this manner till six o'clock in the evening, when hazy weather and snow showers made it necessary for us to join.
We kept our course to N.E. till eight o'clock in the morning of the 25th, when the wind having veered round to N.E. by E., by the W. and N. we tacked, and stood to N.W. The wind was fresh, and yet we made but little way against a high northerly sea. We now began to see some of that sort of peterels so well known to sailors by the name of sheerwaters, latitude 58° 10', longitude 50° 54' E. In the afternoon the wind veered to the southward of east; and at eight o'clock in the evening, it increased to a storm, attended with thick hazy weather, sleet and snow.
During night we went under our fore-sail and main-top-sail close-reefed: At day-light the next morning, added to them the fore and mizen top-sails. At four o'clock it fell calm; but a prodigious high sea from the N.E., and a complication of the worst of weather, viz. snow, sleet, and rain, continued, together with the calm, till nine o'clock in the evening. Then the weather cleared up, and we got a breeze at S.E. by S. With this we steered N. by E. till eight o'clock the next morning, being the 27th, when I spread the ships, and steered N.N.E., all sails set, having a fresh breeze at S. by W., and clear weather.
At noon we were by observation, in the latitude of 56° 28' S., and, about three o'clock in the afternoon, the sun and moon appearing at intervals, their distances were observed by the following persons; and the longitude resulting therefrom was,
By Mr Wales, (the mean of two sets) 50° 59' East.
Lieutenant Clerke 51 11
Mr Gilbert 50 14
Mr Smith 50 50
Mr Kendal's watch 50 50At six o'clock in the evening, being in latitude 56° 9' S., I now made signal to the Adventure to come under my stern; and at eight o'clock the next morning sent her to look out on my starboard beam, having at this time a fresh gale at west and pretty clear weather. But this was not of long duration; for, at two in the afternoon, the sky became cloudy and hazy, the wind increased to a fresh gale, blew in squalls attended with snow, sleet, and drizzling rain. I now made signal to the Adventure to come under my stern, and took another reef in each top-sail. At eight o'clock I hauled up the main-sail, and run all night under the foresail, and two top-sails; our course being N.N.E. and N.E. by N., with a strong gale at N.W.
The 29th, at noon, we observed in latitude 52° 29' S., the weather being fair and tolerably clear. But in the afternoon, it again became very thick and hazy with rain; and the gale increased in such a manner as to oblige us to strike top-gallant yards, close-reef and hand the top-sails. We spent part of the night, which was very dark and stormy, in making a tack to the S.W., and in the morning of the 30th, stood again to the N.E., wind at N.W. and N., a very fresh gale; which split several of our small sails. This day no ice was seen, probably owing to the thick hazy weather. At eight o'clock in the evening we tacked and stood to the westward, under our courses; but as the sea run high, we made our course no better than S.S W.
At four o'clock the next morning, the gale had a little abated; and the wind had backed to W. by S. We again stood to the northward, under courses and double-reefed top-sails, having a very high sea from the N.N.W., which gave us but little hopes of finding the land we were in search of. At noon we were in the latitude of 50° 56' S., longitude 56° 48' E., and presently after we saw two islands of ice. One of these we passed very near, and found that it was breaking or falling to pieces, by the cracking noise it made; which was equal to the report of a four-pounder. There was a good deal of loose ice about it; and had the weather been favourable, I should have brought-to, and taken some up. After passing this, we saw no more, till we returned again to the south.
Hazy gloomy weather continued, and the wind remained invariably fixed at N.W., so that we could make our course no better than N.E. by N., and this course we held till four o'clock in the afternoon of the first of February. Being then in the latitude of 48° 30', and longitude 58° 7' E., nearly in the meridian of the island of Mauritius, and where we were to expect to find the land said to be discovered by the French, of which at this time we saw not the least signs, we bore away east.
I now made the signal to the Adventure to keep at the distance of four miles on my starboard beam. At half an hour past six, Captain Furneaux made the signal to speak with me; and upon his coming under my stern, he informed me that he had just seen a large float of sea or rock weed, and about it several birds (divers.) These were certainly signs of the vicinity of land; but whether it lay to the east or west, was not possible for us to know. My intention was to have got into this latitude four or five degrees of longitude to the west of the meridian we were in, and then to have carried on my researches to the east. But the west and north-west winds we had had the five preceding days, prevented me from putting this in execution.
The continual high sea we had lately had from the N.E., N., N.W. and W., left me no reason to believe that land of any extent lay to the West. We therefore continued to steer to the east, only lying-to a few hours in the night, and in the morning resumed our course again, four miles north and south from each other; the hazy weather not permitting us to spread farther. We passed two or three small pieces of rock weed, and saw two or three birds known by the name of egg-birds; but saw no other signs of land. At noon we observed in latitude 48° 36' S., longitude 59° 35' E. As we could only see a few miles farther to the south, and as it was not impossible that there might be land not far off in that direction, I gave orders to steer S. 1/2 E., and made the signal for the Adventure to follow, she being by this movement thrown a-stern: The weather continuing hazy till half an hour past six o'clock in the evening, when it cleared up so as to enable us to see about five leagues round us.
Being now in the latitude of 49° 13' S., without having the least signs of land, I wore and stood again to the eastward, and soon after spoke with Captain Furneaux. He told me that he thought the land was to the N.W. of us,; as he had, at one time, observed the sea to be smooth when the wind blew in that direction. Athough this was not conformable to the remarks
we had made on the sea, I resolved to clear up the point, if the wind would admit of my getting to the west in any reasonable time.
At eight o'clock in the morning of the 3d, being in the latitude of 48° 56' S. longitude 60° 47' E., and upwards of 8° to the east of the meridian of the Mauritius, I began to despair of finding land to the east; and as the wind had now veered to the north, resolved to search for it to the west. I accordingly tacked and stood to the west with a fresh gale. This increased in such a manner, that, before night, we were reduced to our two courses; and, at last, obliged to lie-to under the fore-sails, having a prodigious high sea from W.N.W., notwithstanding the height of the gale was from N. by W. At three o'clock the next morning, the gale abating, we made sail, and continued to ply to the west till ten o'clock in the morning of the 6th.
At this time, being in the latitude of 48° 6' S., longitude 58° 22' E., the wind seemingly fixed at W.N.W., and seeing no signs of meeting with land, I gave over plying, and bore away east a little southerly: Being satisfied, that if there is any land hereabout, it can only be an isle of no great extent. And it was just as probable I might have found it to the E. as to the W.
While we were plying about here we took every opportunity to observe the variation of the compass, and found it to be from 27° 50' to 30° 26' W. Probably the mean of the two extremes, viz. 29° 4', is the nearest the truth, as it nearly agrees with the variation observed on board the Adventure. In making these observations, we found that, when the sun was on the larboard side of the ship, the variation was the least; and when on the starboard side, the greatest. This was not the first time we had made this observation, without being able to account for it. At four o'clock in the morning of the 7th, I made the Adventure's signal to keep at the distance of four miles on my starboard beam; and continued to steer E.S.E. This being a fine day, I had all our men's bedding and clothes spread on deck to air; and the ship cleaned and smoked betwixt decks. At noon I steered a point more to the south, being then in the latitude of 45° 49' S., longitude 61° 48' E. At six o'clock in the evening, I called in the Adventure; and at the same time took several azimuths, which gave the variation 31° 28'.W. These observations could not be taken with the greatest accuracy, on account of the rolling of the ship, occasioned by a very high westerly swell.
The preceding evening, three Port Egmont hens were seen; this morning another appeared. In the evening, and several times in the night, penguins were heard; and, at daylight in the morning of the 8th, several of these were seen; and divers of two sorts, seemingly such as are usually met with on the coast of England. This occasioned us to sound, but we found no ground with a line of 210 fathoms. Our latitude now was 49° 53' S., and longitude 63° 39' E. This was at eight o'clock. By this time the wind had veered round by the N.E. to E., blew a brisk gale, and was attended with hazy weather, which soon after turned to a thick fog; and, at the same tine, the wind shifted to N.E.
I continued to keep the wind on the larboard tack, and to fire a gun every hour till noon; when I made the signal to tack, and tacked accordingly. But, as neither this signal, nor any of the former, was answered by the Adventure, we had but too much reason to think that a separation had taken place; though we were at a loss to tell how it had been effected. I had directed Captain Furneaux, in case he was separated from me, to cruise three days in the place where he last saw me. I therefore continued making short boards, and firing half-hour guns, till the 9th in the afternoon, when, the weather having cleared up, we could see several leagues round us, and found that the Adventure was not within the limits of our horizon. At this time we were about two or three leagues to the eastward of the situation we were in when we last saw her; and were standing to the westward with a very strong gale at N.N.W., accompanied with a great sea from the same direction. This, together, with an increase of wind, obliged us to lie-to till eight o'clock the next morning, during which time we saw nothing of the Adventure, notwithstanding the weather was pretty clear, and we had kept firing guns, and burning false fires, all night. I therefore gave over looking for her, made sail, and steered S.E., with a very fresh gale at W. by N., accompanied with a high sea from the same direction.
While we were beating about here; we frequently saw penguins and divers, which made us conjecture the land was not far off; but in what direction it was not possible for us to tell. As we advanced to the south, we lost the penguins, and most of the divers; and, as usual, met with abundance of albatrosses, blue peterels, sheer-waters, &c.
The 11th, at noon, and in the latitude of 51° 15' S., longitude 67° 20' E., we again met with penguins: and saw an egg bird, which we also look upon to be a sign of the vicinity of land. I continued to steer to the S.E., with a fresh gale in the north-west quarter, attended with a long hollow swell, and frequent showers of rain, hail, and snow. The 12th, in the morning, being in the latitude of 52° 32' S., longitude 69° 47' E., the variation was 31° 38' W. In the evening, in the latitude of 53° 7' S., longitude 70° 50' E., it was 32° 33'; and, the next morning, in the latitude of 53° 37' S., longitude 72° 10', it was 33° 8' W. Thus far we had continually a great number of penguins about the ship, which seemed to be different from those we had seen near the ice; being smaller, with reddish bills and brownish heads. The meeting with so many of these birds, gave us some hopes of finding land, and occasioned various conjectures about its situation. The great westerly swell, which still continued, made it improbable that land of any considerable extent lay to the west. Nor was it very probable that any lay to the north; as we were only about 160 leagues to the south of Tasman's track in 1642; and I conjectured that Captain Furneaux would explore this place; which accordingly happened. In the evening we saw a Port Egmont hen, which flew away in the direction of N.E. by E., and the next morning a seal was seen; but no penguins. In the evening, being in the latitude of 55° 49' S., longitude 75° 52' E., the variation was 34° 48' W., and, in the evening of the 15th, in latitude 57° 2' S., longitude 79° 56' E., it was 38° W. Five seals were seen this day, and a few penguins; which occasioned us to sound, without finding any bottom, with a line of 150 fathoms.
At day-light in the morning of the 16th, we saw an island of ice to the northward; for which we steered, in order to take some on board; but the wind shifting to that direction, hindered us from putting this in execution. At this time we were in the latitude of 57° 8' S., longitude 80° 59' E., and had two islands of ice in sight. This morning we saw one penguin, which appeared to be of the same sort which we had formerly seen near the ice. But we had now been so often deceived by these birds, that we could no longer look upon them, nor indeed upon any other oceanic birds, which frequent high latitudes, as sure signs of the vicinity of land.
The wind continued not long at north, but veered to E. by N.E., and blew a gentle gale, with which we stood to the southward; having frequent showers of sleet and snow. But, in the night, we had fair weather, and a clear serene sky; and, between midnight and three o'clock in the morning, lights were seen in the heavens, similar to those in the northern hemisphere, known by the name of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights; but I never heard of the Aurora Australia been seen before. The officer of the watch observed that it sometimes broke out in spiral rays, and in a circular form; then its light was very strong, and its appearance beautiful. He could not perceive it had any particular direction; for it appeared, at various times, in different parts of the heavens, and diffused its light throughout the whole atmosphere.[2]
[2] "The natural state of the heavens, except in the south-east quarter, and for about ten degrees of altitude all round the horizon, was a whitish haze, through which stars of the third magnitude were just discernible. All round, the horizon was covered with thick clouds, out of which arose many streams of a pale reddish light, that ascended towards the zenith. These streams had not that motion which they are sometimes seen to have in England; but were perfectly steady, except a small tremulous motion which some of them had near their edges.
"19th.--In the night the southern lights were very bright at times, and the colours much more various and vivid than they were on Wednesday night, their motion also was greater, so that on the whole they were extremely beautiful.
"20th.--At nine o'clock in the evening, the southern light sprung up very bright about the east point of the horizon, in a single steady pillar, of a pale reddish light. Its direction was not directly towards the zenith, but gradually deflected towards the south, and grew fainter as it ascended, so as to vanish about south-east, and at forty-five degrees of altitude.
"15th March.--The southern lights very bright at times, and exceeding beautiful; their colours being vivid, and their motion quick and curious.
"18th.--A little after nine o'clock in the evening it was very clear, and the southern lights were exceeding bright and beautiful, and appeared of a semi-circular or rainbow-like form, whose two extremities were nearly in the east and west points of the horizon. This bow, when it first made its appearance, passed a considerable way to the north of the zenith; but rose by degrees, turning, as it were, on its diameter, and passing through the zenith, settled at length towards the southern horizon. These lights were at one time so bright, that we could discern our shadows on the deck."--W.
It was thought proper to bring together all these similar remarks of so accurate and faithful an observer. There is reason to believe that the southern lights had never been seen by any navigator before this voyage of Cook's.--E.
At nine in the morning, we bore down to an island of ice which we reached by noon. It was full half a mile in circuit, and two hundred feet high at least, though very little loose ice about it. But while we were considering whether or no we should hoist out our boats to take some up, a great quantity broke from the island. Upon this we hoisted out our boats, and went to work to get some on board. The pieces of ice, both great and small, which broke from the island, I observed, drifted fast to the westward; that is, they left the island in that direction, and were, in a few hours, spread over a large space of sea. This, I have no doubt, was caused by a current setting in that direction. For the wind could have but little effect upon the ice; especially as there was a large hollow swell from the west. This circumstance greatly retarded our taking up ice. We, however, made a shift to get on board about nine or ten tons before eight o'clock, when we hoisted in the boats and made sail to the east, inclining to the south, with a fresh gale at south; which, soon after, veered to S.S.W. and S.W., with fair but cloudy weather. This course brought us among many ice isles; so that it was necessary to proceed with great caution. In the night the mercury in the thermometer fell two degrees below the freezing point; and the water in the scuttle casks on deck was frozen. As I have not taken notice of the thermometer of late, I shall now observe, that, as we advanced to the north, the mercury gradually rose to 45, and fell again, as we advanced to the south, to what is above-mentioned; nor did it rise, in the middle of the day, to above 34 or 35.
In the morning of the 18th, being in the latitude of 57° 54' S., longitude 83° 14' E., the variation was 39° 33' W. In the evening, in latitude 58° 2' S., longitude 84° 35' E., it was only 37° 8' W., which induced me to believe it was decreasing. But in the evening of the 20th, in the latitude of 58° 47' S., longitude 90° 56' E., I took nine azimuths, with Dr Knight's compass, which gave the variation 40° 7', and nine others, with Gregory's, which gave 40° 15' W.
This day, at noon, being nearly in the latitude and longitude just mentioned, we thought we saw land to the S.W. The appearance was so strong that we doubted not it was there in reality, and tacked to work up to it accordingly; having a light breeze at south, and clear weather. We were, however, soon undeceived, by finding that it was only clouds; which, in the evening, entirely disappeared, and left us a clear horizon, so that we could see a considerable way round us; in which space nothing was to be seen but ice islands.
In the night the Aurora Australis made a very brilliant and luminous appearance. It was seen first in the east, a little above the horizon; and, in a short time, spread over the whole heavens.
The 21st, in the morning, having little wind and a smooth sea, two favourable circumstances for taking up ice, I steered for the largest ice island before us, which we reached by noon. At this time, we were in the latitude of 59° S., longitude 92° 30' E.; having about two hours before seen three or four penguins. Finding here a good quantity of loose ice, I ordered two boats out, and sent them to take some on board. While this was doing, the island, which was not less than half a mile in circuit, and three or four hundred feet high above the surface of the sea, turned nearly bottom up. Its height, by this circumstance, was neither increased nor diminished apparently. As soon as we had got on board as much ice as we could dispose of, we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at N. by E., attended with showers of snow, and dark gloomy weather. At this time we had but few ice islands in sight, but, the next day, seldom less than twenty or thirty were seen at once.
The wind gradually veered to the east; and, at last, fixing at E. by S., blew a fresh gale. With this we stood to the south, till eight o'clock in the evening of the 23d; at which time we were in the latitude of 61° 52' S., longitude 95° 2' E. We now tacked and spent the night, which was exceedingly stormy, thick, and hazy, with sleet and snow, in making short boards. Surrounded on every side with danger, it was natural for us to wish for day-light. This, when it came, served only to increase our apprehensions, by exhibiting to our view those huge mountains of ice, which in the night we had passed without seeing.
These unfavourable circumstances, together with dark nights, at this advanced season of the year, quite discouraged me from putting in execution a resolution I had taken of crossing the Antarctic Circle once more. Accordingly, at four o'clock in the morning, we stood to the north, with a very hard gale at E.S.E., accompanied with snow and sleet, and a very high sea from the same point, which made great destruction among the ice islands. This circumstance, far from being of any advantage to us, greatly increased the number of pieces we had to avoid. The large pieces which break from the ice islands, are much more dangerous than the islands themselves. The latter are so high out of water, that we can generally see them, unless the weather be very thick and dark, before we are very near them. Whereas the others cannot be seen in the night, till they are under the ship's bows. These dangers were, however, now become so familiar to us, that the apprehensions they caused were never of long duration; and were, in some measure, compensated both by the seasonable supplies of fresh water these ice islands afforded us, (without which we must have been greatly distressed,) and also by their very romantic appearance, greatly heightened by the foaming and dashing of the waves into the curious holes and caverns which are formed in many of them; the whole exhibiting a view which at once filled the mind with admiration and horror, and can only be described by the hand of an able painter.[3]
[3] "The shapes of these large frozen masses, were frequently singularly ruinous, and so far picturesque enough; among them we passed one of a great size, with a hollow in the middle, resembling a grotto or cavern, which was pierced through, and admitted the light from the other side. Some had the appearance of a spire or steeple; and many others gave full scope to our imagination, which compared them to several known objects, by that means attempting to overcome the tediousness of our cruise, which the sight of birds, porpoises, seals, and whales, now too familiar to our eyes, could not prevent from falling heavily upon us."--G.F.
Towards the evening the gale abated, and in the night we had two or three hours calm. This was succeeded by a light breeze at west, with which we steered east, under all the sail we could set, meeting with many ice islands.
This night we saw a Port Egmont hen; and next morning, being the 25th, another. We had lately seen but few birds; and those were albatrosses, sheer-waters, and blue peterels. It is remarkable that we did not see one of either the white or Antarctic peterels, since we came last amongst the ice. Notwithstanding the wind kept at W. and N.W. all day, we had a very high sea from the east, by which we concluded that no land could be near in that direction. In the evening, being in the latitude 60° 51', longitude 95° 41' E., the variation was 43° 6' W., and the next morning, being the 26th, having advanced about a degree and a half more to the east, it was 41° 30', both being determined by several azimuths.
We had fair weather all the afternoon, but the wind was unsettled, veering round by the north to the east. With this we stood to the S.E. and E., till three o'clock in the afternoon; when, being in the latitude of 61° 21' S., longitude 97° 7', we tacked and stood to the northward and eastward as the wind kept veering to the south. This, in the evening, increased to a strong gale, blew in squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and thick hazy weather, which soon brought us under our close-reefed top-sails.
Between eight in the morning of the 26th, and noon the next day, we fell in among several islands of ice; from whence such vast quantities had broken as to cover the sea all round us, and render sailing rather dangerous. However, by noon, we were clear of it all. In the evening the wind abated, and veered to S.W. but the weather did not clear up till the next morning, when we were able to carry all our sails, and met with but very few islands of ice to impede us. Probably the late gale had destroyed a great number of them. Such a very large hollow sea had continued to accompany the wind as it veered from E. to S.W. that I was certain no land of considerable extent could lie within 100 or 150 leagues of our situation between these two points.
The mean height of the thermometer at noon, for some days past, was at about 35, which is something higher than it usually was in the same latitude about a month or five weeks before, consequently the air was something warmer. While the weather was really warm, the gales were not only stronger, but more frequent, with almost continual misty, dirty, wet weather. The very animals we had on board felt its effects. A sow having in the morning farrowed nine pigs, every one of them was killed by the cold before four o'clock in the afternoon, notwithstanding all the care we could take of them. From the same cause, myself as well as several of my people, had fingers and toes chilblained. Such is the summer weather we enjoyed!
The wind continued unsettled, veering from the south to the west, and blew a fresh gale till the evening. Then it fell little wind, and soon after a breeze sprung up at north, which quickly veered to N.E. and N.E. by E., attended with a thick fog, snow, sleet, and rain. With this wind and weather we kept on to the S.E., till four o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, being the first of March, when it fell calm, which continued for near twenty-four hours. We were now in the latitude of 60° 36' S., longitude 107° 54', and had a prodigious high swell from the S.W., and, at the same time, another from the S. or S.S.E. The dashing of the one wave against the other, made the ship both roll and pitch exceedingly; but at length the N.W. swell prevailed. The calm continued till noon the next day, when it was succeeded by a gentle breeze from S.E., which afterwards increased and veered to S.W. With this we steered N.E. by E., and E. by N., under all the sail we could set.
In the afternoon of the 3d, being in latitude 60° 13', longitude 110° 18', the variation was 39° 4' W. But the observations, by which this was determined, were none of the best, being obliged to make use of such as we could get, during the very few and short intervals when the sun appeared. A few penguins were seen this day, but not so many islands of ice as usual. The weather was also milder, though very changeable; thermometer from 36 to 38. We continued to have a N.W. swell, although the wind was unsettled, veering to N.W. by the W. and N., attended with hazy sleet and drizzling rain.
We prosecuted our course to the east, inclining to the south, till three o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th, when, (being in the latitude of 60° 37', longitude 113° 24') the wind shifting at once to S.W. and S.W. by S., I gave orders to steer E. by N. 1/2 N. But in the night we steered E. 1/2 S. in order to have the wind, which was at S.S.W., more upon the beam, the better to enable us to stand back, in case we fell in with any danger in the dark. For we had not so much time to spare to allow us to lie-to.
In the morning of the 5th, we steered E. by N., under all the sail we could set, passing one ice island and many small pieces, and at nine o'clock the wind, which of late had not remained long upon any one point, shifted all at once to east, and blew a gentle gale. With this, we stood to the north, at which time we were in the latitude of 60° 44' S., and longitude 116° 50' E. The latitude was determined by the meridian altitude of the sun, which appeared, now and then, for a few minutes, till three in the afternoon. Indeed the sky was, in general, so cloudy, and the weather so thick and hazy, that we had very little benefit of sun or moon; very seldom seeing the face of either the one or the other. And yet, even under these circumstances, the weather, for some days past, could not be called very cold. It, however, had not the least pretension to be called summer weather, according to my ideas of summer in the northern hemisphere, as far as 60° of latitude, which is nearly as far north as I have been.
In the evening we had three islands of ice in sight, all of them large; especially one, which was larger than any we had yet seen. The side opposed to us seemed to be a mile in extent; if so, it could not be less than three in circuit. As we passed it in the night, a continual cracking was heard, occasioned, no doubt, by pieces breaking from it.[4] For, in the morning of the 6th, the sea, for some distance round it, was covered with large and small pieces; and the island itself did not appear so large as it had done the evening before. It could not be less than 100 feet high; yet such was the impetuous force and height of the waves which were broken against it, by meeting with such a sudden resistance, that they rose considerably higher. In the evening we were in latitude of 59° 58' S., longitude 118° 39' E. The 7th, the wind was variable in the N.E. and S.E. quarters, attended with snow and sleet till the evening. Then the weather became fair, the sky cleared up, and the night was remarkably pleasant, as well as the morning of the next day; which, for the brightness of the sky, and serenity and mildness of the weather, gave place to none we had seen since we left the Cape of Good Hope. It was such as is little known in this sea; and to make it still more agreeable, we had not one island of ice in sight. The mercury in the thermometer rose to 40. Mr Wales and the master made some observations of the moon and stars, which satisfied us, that, when our latitude was 59° 44', our longitude was 121° 9'. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the calm was succeeded by a breeze at S.E. The sky, at the same time, was suddenly obscured, and seemed to presage an approaching storm, which accordingly happened. For, in the evening, the wind shifted to south, blew in squalls, attended with sleet and rain, and a prodigious high sea. Having nothing to take care of but ourselves, we kept two or three points from the wind, and run at a good rate to the E.N.E. under our two courses, and close-reefed topsails.
[4] "One island of ice, which we passed in the afternoon, was near a mile and a half long, and very high. It was calm most part of the night, so that we found ourselves very near it in the morning, but observed that several very large pieces had broke off from it. Many great reports, like thunder, were heard in the night, which I conceive were occasioned by these pieces breaking off."--W.
The gale continued till the evening of the 10th. Then it abated; the wind shifted to the westward; and we had fair weather, and but little wind, during the night; attended with a sharp frost. The next morning, being in the latitude of 57° 56', longitude 130°, the wind shifted to N.E., and blew a fresh gale, with which we stood S.E., having frequent showers of snow and sleet, and a long hollow swell from S.S.E. and S.E. by S. This swell did not go down till two days after the wind which raised it had not only ceased to blow, but had shifted, and blown fresh at opposite points, good part of the time. Whoever attentively considers this, must conclude, that there can be no land to the south, but what must be at a great distance.
Notwithstanding so little was to be expected in that quarter, we continued to stand to the south till three o'clock in the morning of the 12th, when we were stopped by a calm; being then in the latitude of 58° 56' S., longitude 131° 26' E. After a few hours calm, a breeze sprung up at west, with which we steered east. The S.S.E. swell having gone down, was succeeded by another from N.W. by W. The weather continued mild all this day, and the mercury rose to 39-1/2. In the evening it fell calm, and continued so till three o'clock in the morning of the 13th, when we got the wind at E. and S.E., a fresh breeze attended with snow and sleet. In the afternoon it became fair, and the wind veered round to the S. and S.S.W. In the evening, being in the latitude of 58° 59', longitude 134°, the weather was so clear in the horizon, that we could see many leagues round us. We had but little wind during the night, some showers of snow, and a very sharp frost. As the day broke, the wind freshened at S.E. and S.S.E.; and soon after, the sky cleared up, and the weather became clear and serene; but the air continued cold, and the mercury in the thermometer rose only one degree above the freezing point.
The clear weather gave Mr Wales an opportunity to get some observations of the sun and moon. Their results reduced to noon, when the latitude was 58° 22' S., gave us 136° 22' E. longitude. Mr Kendal's watch at the same time gave 134° 42'; and that of Mr Arnold the same. This was the first and only time they pointed out the same longitude since we left England. The greatest difference, however, between them, since we left the Cape, had not much exceeded two degrees.
The moderate, and I might almost say, pleasant weather, we had, at times, for the last two or three days, made me wish I had been a few degrees of latitude farther south; and even tempted me to incline our course that way. But we soon had weather which convinced us that we were full far enough; and that the time was approaching, when these seas were not to be navigated without enduring intense cold; which, by the bye, we were pretty well used to. In the afternoon, the serenity of the sky was presently obscured: The wind veered round by the S.W. to W., and blew in hard squalls, attended with thick and heavy showers of hail and snow, which continually covered our decks, sails, and rigging, till five o'clock in the evening of the 15th. At this time, the wind abated, and shifted to S.E.; the sky cleared up; and the evening was so serene and clear, that we could see many leagues round us; the horizon being the only boundary to our sight.
We were now in the latitude of 59° 17' S., longitude 140° 12' E., and had such a large hollow swell from W.S.W., as assured us that we had left no land behind us in that direction. I was also well assured that no land lay to the south on this side 60° of latitude. We had a smart frost during the night, which was curiously illuminated with the southern lights.
At ten o'clock in the morning of the 16th, (which was as soon as the sun appeared,) in the latitude of 58° 51' S., our longitude was 144° 10' E. This good weather was, as usual, of short duration. In the afternoon of this day, we had again thick snow showers; but, at intervals, it was tolerably clear; and, in the evening being in the latitude of 58° 58' S., longitude 144° 37' E., I found the variation by several azimuths to be 31' E.
I was not a little pleased with being able to determine, with so much precision, this point of the Line, in which the compass has no variation. For I look upon half a degree as next to nothing; so that the intersection of the latitude and longitude just mentioned, may be reckoned the point without any sensible error. At any rate, the Line can only pass a very small matter west of it.
I continued to steer to the east, inclining to the south, with a fresh gale at S.W., till five o'clock the next morning, when, being in the latitude of 59° 7' S., longitude 146° 53' E., I bore away N.E., and, at noon, north, having come to a resolution to quit the high southern latitudes, and to proceed to New Zealand to look for the Adventure, and to refresh my people. I had also some thoughts, and even a desire to visit the east coast of Van Diemen's Land, in order to satisfy myself if it joined the coast of New South Wales.
In the night of the 17th, the wind shifted to N.W., and blew in squalls, attended with thick hazy weather and rain. This continued all the 18th, in the evening of which day, being in the latitude of 56° 15' S., longitude 150°, the sky cleared up, and we found the variation by several azimuths to be 13° 30' E. Soon after, we hauled up, with the log, a piece of rock-weed, which was in a state of decay, and covered with barnacles. In the night the southern lights were very bright.
The next morning we saw a seal; and towards noon, some penguins, and more rock-weed, being at this time in the latitude of 55° 1', longitude 152° 1' E. In the latitude of 54° 4', we also saw a Port Egmont hen, and some weed. Navigators have generally looked upon all these to be certain signs of the vicinity of land; I cannot, however, support this opinion. At this time we knew of no land, nor is it even probable that there is any, nearer than New Holland, or Van Diemen's Land, from which we were distant 260 leagues. We had, at the same time, several porpoises playing about us; into one of which Mr Cooper struck a harpoon; but as the ship was running seven knots, it broke its hold, after towing it some minutes, and before we could deaden the ship's way.
As the wind, which continued between the north and the west, would not permit me to touch at Van Diemen's Land, I shaped my course to New Zealand; and, being under no apprehensions of meeting with any danger, I was not backward in carrying sail, as well by night as day, having the advantage of a very strong gale, which was attended with hazy rainy weather, and a very large swell from the W. and W.S.W. We continued to meet with, now and then, a seal, Port Egmont hens, and sea-weed.
On the morning of the 22d, the wind shifted to south, and brought with it fair weather. At noon, we found ourselves in the latitude of 49° 55', longitude 159° 28', having a very large swell out of the S.W. For the three days past, the mercury in the thermometer had risen to 46, and the weather was quite mild. Seven or eight degrees of latitude had made a surprising difference in the temperature of the air, which we felt with an agreeable satisfaction.
We continued to advance to the N.E. at a good rate, having a brisk gale between the S. and E.; meeting with seals, Port Egmont hens, egg birds, sea-weed, &c. and having constantly a very large swell from the S.W. At ten o'clock in the morning of the 25th, the land of New Zealand was seen from the mast-head; and at noon, from the deck; extending from N.E. by E. to E., distant ten leagues. As I intended to put into Dusky Bay, or any other port I could find, on the southern part of Tavai Poenammoo, we steered in for the land, under all the sail we could carry, having the advantage of a fresh gale at W., and tolerably clear weather. This last was not of long duration; for, at half an hour after four o'clock, the land, which was not above four miles distant, was in a manner wholly obscured in a thick haze. At this time, we were before the entrance of a bay, which I had mistaken for Dusky Bay, being deceived by some islands that lay in the mouth of it.
Fearing to run, in thick weather, into a place to which we were all strangers, and seeing some breakers and broken ground a-head, I tacked in twenty-five fathom water, and stood out to sea with the wind at N.W. This bay lies on the S.E. side of Cape West, and may be known by a white cliff on one of the isles which lies in the entrance of the bay. This part of the coast I did not see, but at a great distance, in my former voyage; and we now saw it under so many disadvantageous circumstances, that the less I say about it, the fewer mistakes I shall make. We stood out to sea, under close-reefed top-sails and courses, till eleven o'clock at night; when we wore and stood to the northward, having a very high and irregular sea. At five o'clock next morning, the gale abated, and we bore up for the land; at eight o'clock, the West Cape bore E. by N. 1/2 N., for which we steered, and entered Dusky Bay about noon. In the entrance of it, we found 44 fathoms water, a sandy bottom, the West Cape bearing S.S.E., and Five Fingers Point, or the north point of the bay, north. Here we had a great swell rolling in from the S.W. The depth of water decreased to 40 fathoms, afterwards we had no ground with 60. We were, however, too far advanced to return; and therefore stood on, not doubting but that we should find anchorage. For in this bay we were all strangers; in my former voyage, having done no more than discover and name it.
After running about two leagues up the bay, and passing several of the isles which lay in it, I brought-to, and hoisted out two boats; one of which I sent away with an officer round a point on the larboard hand to look for anchorage. This he found, and signified the same by signal. We then followed with the ship, and anchored in 50 fathoms water, so near the shore as to reach it with an hawser. This was on Friday the 26th of March, at three in the afternoon, after having been 117 days at sea; in which time we had sailed 3600 leagues, without having once sight of land.
After such a long continuance at sea, in a high southern latitude, it is but reasonable to think that many of my people must be ill of the scurvy. The contrary, however, happened. Mention hath already been made of sweet wort being given to such as were scorbutic. This had so far the desired effect, that we had only one man on board that could be called very ill of this disease; occasioned chiefly, by a bad habit of body, and a complication of other disorders. We did not attribute the general good state of health in the crew, wholly to the sweet wort, but to the frequent airing and sweetening the ship by fires, &c. We must also allow portable broth, and sour krout, to have had some share in it. This last can never be enough recommended.
My first care, after the ship was moored, was to send a boat and people a- fishing; in the mean time, some of the gentlemen killed a seal, (out of many that were upon a rock,) which made us a fresh meal.
SECTION IV.
Transactions in Dusky Bay, with an Account of several Interviews with the Inhabitants.
As I did not like the place we had anchored in, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill over to the S.E. side of the bay, to search for a better; and I went myself to the other side, for the same purpose, where I met with an exceedingly snug harbour, but nothing else worthy of notice. Mr Pickersgill reported, upon his return, that he had found a good harbour, with every conveniency. As I liked the situation of this, better than the other of my own finding, I determined to go there in the morning. The fishing-boat was very successful; returning with fish sufficient for all hands for supper; and, in a few hours in the morning, caught as many as served for dinner. This gave us certain hopes of being plentifully supplied with this article. Nor did the shores and woods appear less destitute of wild fowl; so that we hoped to enjoy with ease, what, in our situation, might be called the luxuries of life. This determined me to stay some time in this bay, in order to examine it thoroughly; as no one had ever landed before, on any of the southern parts of this country.
On the 27th, at nine o'clock in the morning, we got under sail with a light breeze at S.W., and working over to Pickersgill harbour, entered it by a channel scarcely twice the width of the ship; and in a small creek, moored head and stern, so near the shore as to reach it with a brow or stage, which nature had in a manner prepared for us in a large tree, whose end or top reached our gunwale. Wood, for fuel and other purposes, was here so convenient, that our yards were locked in the branches of the trees; and, about 100 yards from our stern, was a fine stream of freshwater. Thus situated, we began to clear places in the woods, in order to set up the astronomer's observatory, the forge to repair our iron-work, tents for the sail-makers and coopers to repair the sails and casks in; to land our empty casks, to fill water, and to cut down wood for fuel; all of which were absolutely necessary occupations. We also began to brew beer from the branches or leaves of a tree, which much resembles the American black- spruce. From the knowledge I had of this tree, and the similarity it bore to the spruce, I judged that, with the addition of inspissated juice of wort and molasses, it would make a very wholesome beer, and supply the want of vegetables, which this place did not afford; and the event proved that I was not mistaken.
Now I have mentioned the inspissated juice of wort, it will not be amiss, in this place, to inform the reader, that I had made several trials of it since I left the Cape of Good Hope, and found it to answer in a cold climate, beyond all expectation. The juice, diluted in warm water, in the proportion of twelve parts water to one part juice, made a very good and well-tasted small-beer. Some juice which I had of Mr Pelham's own preparing, would bear sixteen parts water. By making use of warm-water, (which I think ought always to be done,) and keeping it in a warm place, if the weather be cold, no difficulty will be found in fermenting it. A little grounds of either small or strong-beer, will answer as well as yeast.
The few sheep and goats we had left were not likely to fare quite so well as ourselves; there being no grass here, but what was coarse and harsh. It was, however not so bad, but that we expected they would devour it with great greediness, and were the more surprised to find that they would not taste it; nor did they seem over-fond of the leaves of more tender plants. Upon examination, we found their teeth loose; and that many of them had every other symptom of an inveterate sea-scurvy. Out of four ewes and two rams which I brought from the Cape, with an intent to put ashore in this country, I had only been able to preserve one of each; and even these were in so bad a state, that it was doubtful if they could recover, notwithstanding all the care possible had been taken of them.
Some of the officers, on the 28th, went up the bay in a small boat on a shooting party; but, discovering inhabitants, they returned before noon, to acquaint me therewith; for hitherto we had not seen the least vestige of any. They had but just got aboard, when a canoe appeared off a point about a mile from us, and soon after, returned behind the point out of sight, probably owing to a shower of rain which then fell; for it was no sooner over, than the canoe again appeared, and came within musket-shot of the ship. There were in it seven or eight people. They remained looking at us for some time, and then returned; all the signs of friendship we could make did not prevail on them to come nearer. After dinner I took two boats and went in search of them, in the cove where they were first seen, accompanied by several of the officers and gentlemen. We found the canoe (at least a-canoe) hauled upon the shore near to two small huts, where were several fire-places, some fishing-nets, a few fish lying on the shore, and some in the canoe. But we saw no people; they probably had retired into the woods. After a short stay, and leaving in the canoe some medals, looking-glasses, beads, &c. we embarked and rowed to the head of the cove, where we found nothing remarkable. In turning back we put ashore at the same place as before; but still saw no people. However, they could not be far off, as we smelled the smoke of fire, though we did not see it. But I did not care to search farther, or to force an interview which they seemed to avoid; well knowing that the way to obtain this, was to leave the time and place to themselves. It did not appear that any thing I had left had been touched; however, I now added a hatchet, and, with the night, returned on board.
[7] "That water melted from the ice usually found floating in the sea is fresh and good, is no new discovery. The Hudson's Bay ships have long made use of it; and I have mentioned it, from my own experience, in the account of a voyage to Hudson's Bay." See Phil. Trans. vol. 60.--W. This is a solitary but most unexceptionable evidence. Mr Forster, in the article before alluded to, has not failed to point out much more.--E.
[1] "The two time-keepers being put on each side of the great cabin, I put a thermometer by each, and before a fire was kept in the cabin, I never saw them differ more than half a degree; but since there has been a fire, I have constantly found that thermometer highest, which happened to be on the weather-side, sometimes by three degrees, whereas one would naturally have expected it to have been just the contrary."--W.
The rapidity of the current of moist air would be no doubt greater on the other side, and therefore, as moisture occasions cold, would lower the thermometer on that side. On the weather-side, on the contrary, the air would be less quickly changed, and of course preserve greater uniformity of temperature. This explanation, however, depends on a certain supposition as to the form of the cabin, and its kind of communication with the external air.--E.
[2] "The natural state of the heavens, except in the south-east quarter, and for about ten degrees of altitude all round the horizon, was a whitish haze, through which stars of the third magnitude were just discernible. All round, the horizon was covered with thick clouds, out of which arose many streams of a pale reddish light, that ascended towards the zenith. These streams had not that motion which they are sometimes seen to have in England; but were perfectly steady, except a small tremulous motion which some of them had near their edges.
"19th.--In the night the southern lights were very bright at times, and the colours much more various and vivid than they were on Wednesday night, their motion also was greater, so that on the whole they were extremely beautiful.
"20th.--At nine o'clock in the evening, the southern light sprung up very bright about the east point of the horizon, in a single steady pillar, of a pale reddish light. Its direction was not directly towards the zenith, but gradually deflected towards the south, and grew fainter as it ascended, so as to vanish about south-east, and at forty-five degrees of altitude.
"15th March.--The southern lights very bright at times, and exceeding beautiful; their colours being vivid, and their motion quick and curious.
"18th.--A little after nine o'clock in the evening it was very clear, and the southern lights were exceeding bright and beautiful, and appeared of a semi-circular or rainbow-like form, whose two extremities were nearly in the east and west points of the horizon. This bow, when it first made its appearance, passed a considerable way to the north of the zenith; but rose by degrees, turning, as it were, on its diameter, and passing through the zenith, settled at length towards the southern horizon. These lights were at one time so bright, that we could discern our shadows on the deck."--W.
It was thought proper to bring together all these similar remarks of so accurate and faithful an observer. There is reason to believe that the southern lights had never been seen by any navigator before this voyage of Cook's.--E.