The first iceberg was met with on December 24th in 61° S., soon afterwards the main pack came into view, and on the 28th land was sighted which appeared to be the northern cape of Dumont d’Urville’s Joinville Island. An examination of part of the South Shetland Islands was then begun.
CHAPTER LII
THIRD ANTARCTIC VOYAGE OF SIR JAMES ROSS
Sir James Ross began his survey of part of the South Shetland Islands when he reached the north-west coast of Joinville Island of Dumont d’Urville. On December 28th, 1842, he sighted the conical islet to which he gave the name of Etna, then passed an enormous glacier descending from an elevation of 1200 feet into the ocean, where it presented a vertical cliff 100 feet high. Near it, and evidently broken away from its face, was the greatest aggregation of icebergs that Sir James ever remembered to have seen collected together. Shaping a southerly course, numerous rocky islets appeared amongst heavy fragments of ice which completely concealed them until the ships were quite close. They were named Danger Isles, and the southernmost islet received the name of Charles Darwin. A great number of the largest sized black whales were seen here, and Sir James thought that a valuable whale fishery might be established in these localities.
A point of land supposed to be the southern point of Joinville Island, but since found to be on a separate island, was given the name of Commodore Purvis, commanding the Alfred on the Brazilian station; a remarkable peak was called Mount Percy after the Admiral at the Cape, and an island off Cape Purvis after Lord George Paulet. There appeared to be a passage between Joinville Island and Louis Philippe Land (the northern end of Graham Land) into Bransfield Strait. The most striking feature in these discoveries was considered to be Mount Haddington (7050 ft.), named after the First Lord of the Admiralty. It is on the large island to the south, since known as James Ross Island. The great gulf between Graham Land and Joinville Island was called Erebus and Terror Bay. A very small brown islet to the south, a quarter of a mile across, with a crater-like peak of 760 ft. was given the name of Admiral Sir George Cockburn. On January 6th, 1843, Captains Ross and Crozier landed on this volcanic islet, and Dr Hooker, who was with them, found that the flora consisted of nineteen species, all mosses, lichens, and algae. Two out of the five mosses were new. Cockburn Island is in 64° 12′ S. and 59° 49′ W. The inlet between James Ross Island and Seymour and Snow Hill Islands—afterwards found to be a channel—was named after the Admiralty; and what was thought to be a promontory and called after Admiral Sir George Seymour, has since been found to be an island (Seymour Island), rendered famous in after years for its yield of fossils.
From Seymour Island a course was shaped to the S.S.W. on January 7th, passing along Snow Hill Island. Upon the southern point of James Ross Island the name of Captain Foster of the Chanticleer, Ross’s lamented old Arctic messmate, was conferred.
On the 8th there was a dense fog, and icebergs with much loose ice surrounded the ships, which were secured to the land ice until the 12th, when Sir James resolved to endeavour to trace this land ice to the S.E. But the ships were quite enclosed, and it was accordingly determined to force them through the pack, a long and arduous as well as a hazardous struggle, for they were sustaining severe pressure. On the 4th February however, in latitude 64° S., the vessels were clear of the ice with which they had been battling for nearly six weeks. The hope was that on reaching the meridian of 40°, where Weddell had penetrated so far to the southward, Ross and Crozier would also find the sea so clear as to admit of their reaching a high southern latitude.
On the 14th February Weddell’s track was crossed in 65° 13′ S., but there was a dense pack. Dumont d’Urville found the same conditions and not so far south. In the following days there were snow-falls, and a heavy sea, yet on March 1st the Erebus and Terror once more crossed the Circle and entered the Antarctic regions, accompanied by several whales, a sooty albatross, blue and white petrels, and Cape pigeons. On the 4th they passed the highest latitude attained by Bellingshausen and crossed the 70th parallel. Next day they were in 71° 10′ S. and ran into the pack for thirty miles, but the young ice was so strong and the season so late that it became necessary to work out again, after reaching 71° 30′ S. A gale sprang up with a heavy snow-fall, the sea was running very high, and the thick weather caused continual apprehension of collision with one of the numerous bergs. It was a fearful night, and next day there was not the least mitigation of the force of the gale. Sir James expressed his admiration at the seamanlike manner in which Captain Crozier and the officers of the Terror kept their station in the face of such difficulties, and at the vigilance, activity, and cool courage of Commander Bird.
The third Antarctic voyage of Sir James Ross was now drawing to a close, and he resolved to shape his course for the Cape of Good Hope. On the 4th April, 1843, the two ships anchored in Simon’s Bay, close to the Winchester, flag-ship of Admiral Percy. There was not a single individual in either ship on the sick list. Refitting, refreshing the crew, and comparing instruments occupied the time until the end of the month, and on April 30th the voyage home was commenced. The ships arrived at Woolwich and were paid off in September, 1843.
In the conduct of these Antarctic voyages by Sir James Ross the first thing that strikes one is his extraordinary skill in ice navigation, his fearlessness and resolution. Very few captains would have persevered, in the face of such imminent dangers, in the long struggle with the pack for forty days; but Sir James was determined to examine the further end of the great ice barrier, and nothing could stop him. In the collision close to the icebergs, under circumstances of appalling danger, this great commander showed a seamanlike skill, a presence of mind, and a quickness of decision such as has never been surpassed. These rare gifts and his unfailing nerve saved the ship. His next great quality was his perseverance in conducting the magnetic observations, his unceasing care in taking every opportunity to secure advantageous positions for observing, and in obtaining accuracy. He took the same care as regards meteorological observations, deep sea soundings, and tidal observations[196]. He was most attentive in promoting the welfare and health of his officers and men, and in all his work he certainly was assisted by an exceptionally diligent and accomplished staff.
Referring to the uninterrupted observations that were taken during the course of the expedition he himself said “they will elucidate several points of importance and interest in science, while they present others for elucidation and afford a basis of comparison, should a sound mode of prosecuting inquiry be adopted.”