 Book 1, Chapter 2, Part 1 of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1 by James Cook. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by David Cole Medway, Massachusetts. Chapter 2 Departure from the Cape of Good Hope, in Search of a Southern Continent, 1772, November. Coming at length finished my business at the Cape, and taken leave of the Governor and some others of the Chief Officers, who, with very obliging readiness, had given me all the assistance I could desire, on the twenty-second of November we repaired on board, and at three o'clock in the afternoon wade, and came to sail with the wind at north by west. As soon as the anchor was up, we saluted the port with fifteen guns, which was immediately returned, and after making a few trips, got out of the bay by seven o'clock, at which time the town bore southeast distant four miles. After this we stood to the westward all night, in order to get clear of the land, having the wind at north-northwest and north-west, blowing in squalls attended with rain, which obliged us to reef our top sails. The sea was again illuminated for some time, in the same manner as it was the night before we arrived in Table Bay. Having got clear of the land, I directed my course for Cape circumcision. The wind continued at north-west a moderate gale until the twenty-fourth, when it veered round to the eastward. On the noon of this day we were in the latitude of thirty-five degrees twenty-five minutes south, and twenty-nine minutes west of the Cape, and had abundance of albatrosses about us, several of which were caught with hook and line, and were very well relished by many of the people, notwithstanding they were at this time served with fresh mutton. Joining that we should soon come into cold weather, I ordered slops to be served to such as were in want, and gave each man the fear-north jacket and trousers allowed them by the Admiralty. 1772 December. The wind continued easterly for two days and blew a moderate gale, which brought us into the latitude of thirty-nine degrees four minutes, and two degrees of longitude west of the Cape. The wind now came to west and south-west, and on the twenty-ninth fixed at west-northwest an increase to a storm, which continued with some few intervals of moderate weather till the sixth of December, when we were in the latitude of forty-eight degrees forty-one minutes south, and longitude eighteen degrees twenty-four minutes east. This gale, which was attended with rain and hail, blew at times with such violence that we could carry no sails, by which means we were driven far to the eastward of our intended course, and no hopes were left me of reaching Cape Circumcision. But the greatest misfortune that had tended us was the loss of a great part of our livestock, which we had brought from the Cape, and which consisted of sheep, hogs, and geese. Indeed, this sudden transition from warm mild weather to extreme cold and wet made every man in the ship feel its effects. For by this time the mercury in the thermometer had fallen to thirty-eight, whereas at the Cape it was generally at sixty-seven and upwards. I now made some addition to the people's allowance of spirit by giving them a dram whenever I thought it necessary, and ordered Captain Ferneau to do the same. The night proved clear and serene, and the only one that was so since we left the Cape, and the next morning the rising sun gave us such flattering hopes of a fine day, that we were induced to let all the reefs out of the top sails, and to get top-gallant yards across, in order to make the most of a fresh gale at north. Our hopes, however, soon vanished. For before eight o'clock the serenity of the sky was changed into a thick haze, accompanied by the rain. The gale-increasing obliged us to hand the mainsail, close to if our top sails, and to strike top-gallant yards. The barometer at this time was unusually low, which foreboded an approaching storm, and this happened accordingly. For, by one o'clock P.M., the wind, which is at north-west, blew with such strength as obliged us to take in all our sails, to strike top gallant masts, and to get the spirit-sail yard in, and I thought proper to wear and lie, too, under a mason's stay-sail, with the ship's heads to the north-east, as they would bow the sea, which ran prodigiously high better on this tack. At eight o'clock next morning, being the eighth, we wore and lay on the other tack. The gale was a little abated, but the sea ran too high to make sail, any more than the four-top-mast stay-sail. In the evening, being in the latitude of forty-nine degrees forty minutes south, and one-and-a-half degrees east of the Cape, we saw two penguins and some sea or rockweed, which occasioned us to sound, without finding ground at one-hundred fathoms. At eight P.M. we wore, and lay with our heads to the north-east till three in the morning of the ninth, then wore again to the southward. The wind blowing in squalls accompanied with showers of snow. At eight, being something more moderate, I made the adventure signal to make sail, and soon after made sail ourselves under the courses and close-roofed topsails. In the evening took in the topsails and mainsail, and brought two under fore-sail and mason, thermometer at thirty-six degrees. The wind still at north-west blew a fresh gale, accompanied with a very high sea. In the night we had a pretty smart frost with snow. In the morning of the tenth we made sail under courses and topsails close-roofed, and made the signal to the adventure to make sail and lead. At eight o'clock saw an island of ice to the westward of us, being then in the latitude of fifty-six degrees forty minutes south, and longitude two degrees zero minutes east of the Cape of Good Hope. Soon after the wind moderated, and we let all the reefs out of the topsails, got the spirit sail yard out, and top gallant massed up. The weather coming hazy, I called the adventure by signal under my stern, which was no sooner done than the haze increased so much with snow in sleet, that we did not see an island of ice which we were steering directly for, till we were less than a mile from it. I judged it to be about fifty feet high and half a mile in circuit. It was flat on top, and its size rose in a perpendicular direction, against which the seas broke exceedingly high. Captain Furneau at first took this ice for land, and hauled off from it until called back by signal. As the weather was foggy, it was necessary to proceed with caution. We therefore reefed our topsails, and at the same time sounded, but found no ground with a hundred and fifty fathoms. We kept on to the southward with the wind at north till night, which we spent in making short trips, first one way and then another, under an easy sail, thermometer these twenty-four hours from thirty-six and a half to thirty-one. At daylight in the morning of the eleventh, we made sail to the southward with the wind at west, having a fresh gale attended with sleet and snow. At noon we were in the latitude of fifty-one degrees fifty minutes south, and longitude twenty-one degrees three minutes east, where we saw some white birds about the size of pigeons, with blackish builds and feet. I never saw any such before, and Mr. Forster had no knowledge of them. I believed them to be of the petrol tribe and natives of these ICCs. At this time we passed between two ice islands, which lay at a little distance from each other. In the night the wind veered to northwest, which enabled us to see a southwest. On the twelfth we had still thick hazy weather with sleet and snow, so that we were obliged to proceed with great caution on account of the ice islands. Six of these we passed this day, some of them near two miles in circuit in sixty feet high. And yet such was the force and height of the waves that the sea broke quite over them. This exhibited a view which for a few moments was pleasing to the eye, but when we reflected on the danger the mind was filled with horror. For where a ship to get against the weather side of one of these islands when the sea runs high she would be dashed to pieces in a moment. Upon our sighting among the ice islands the albatrosses left us, that is, we saw but one now and then. Nor did our other companions, the pinterdose, sheer waters, small grey birds, full mars, etc. appear in such numbers. On the other hand penguins began to make their appearance. Two of these birds were seen today. The wind in the night veered to west, and at last fixed at south-west, a fresh gale with sleet and snow, which froze on our sails and rigging as it fell, so that they were all hung with icicles. We kept on to the southward, past no less than eighteen ice islands, and saw more penguins. At noon on the thirteenth we were in the latitude of fifty-four degrees south, which is the latitude of Cape Circumcision, discovered by Montseor Bouvet in 1739, but we were ten degrees of longitude east of it, that is near a hundred and eighteen leagues in this latitude. We stood on to the south-south east till eight o'clock in the evening, the weather still continuing thick and hazy with sleet and snow. From noon till this time twenty ice islands, of various extent, both for height and circuit, presented themselves to our view. At eight o'clock we sounded, but found no ground with a hundred and fifty fathom of lion. We now tacked and made a trip to the northward till midnight, when we stood again to the southward, and at half an hour past six in the morning of the fourteenth. We were stopped by an immense field of low ice, to which we could see no end, either to the east, west or south. In different parts of this field were islands or hills of ice, like those we found floating in the sea, and some on board thought they saw land also over the ice, bearing south-west by south. I even thought so myself, but changed my opinion upon more narrowly examining these ice hills and the various appearances they made when seen through the haze. For at this time it was both hazy and cloudy in the horizon, so that a distant object could not be seen distinct. Being now in the latitude of fifty-four degrees fifty minutes south, and longer to twenty-one degrees thirty-four minutes east, and having the wind at north-west, we bore away along the edge of the ice, steering south-south-east and south-east, according to the direction of the north side of it, where we saw many whales, penguins, some whitebirds, pindadows, etc. At eight o'clock we brought two under a point of the ice, where we had smooth water, and I sent on board for Captain Ferneau. After we had fixed on rendezvous, in case of separation, and some other matters for the better-keeping company, he returned on board, and we made sail again along the ice. Some pieces we took up alongside, which yielded fresh water. At noon we had a good observation, and found ourselves in latitude fifty-four degrees fifty-five minutes south. We continued a south-east course along the edge of the ice, till one o'clock, when we came to a point round which we hauled south-south-west, the sea appearing to be clear of ice in that direction. But after running four leagues upon this course, with the ice on our starboard side, we found ourselves quite imbade, the ice extending from north-north-east round by the west and south-east in one compact body. The weather was indifferently clear, and yet we could see no end to it. At five o'clock we hauled up east-wind at north, a gentle gale, in order to clear the ice. The extreme east point of it at eight o'clock bore east by south, over which appeared a clear sea. We however spent the night in making short boards under an easy sail, thermometer these twenty-four hours from thirty-two to thirty. Next day the fifteenth we had the wind at north-west, a small gale, thick foggy weather with much snow, thermometer from thirty-two to twenty-seven, so that our sails and rigging were all hung with icicles. The fog was so thick at times that we could not see the length of the ship, and we had much difficulty to avoid the many islands of ice that surrounded us. About noon, having but little wind, we hoisted out a boat to try the current, which we found set southeast near three-quarters of a mile an hour. At the same time a thermometer, which in the open air was at thirty-two degrees, in the surface of the sea was at thirty degrees, and after being emerged one-hundred fathoms deep for about fifteen to twenty minutes, came up at thirty-four degrees, which is only two degrees above freezing. Our latitude at this time was fifty-five degrees eight minutes. 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 northwest, a gentle gale. We had not run long to the southward, before we fell in with the main field of ice, extending from south-southwest to east. We now bore away to east along the edge of it, but at night hauled off north, with the wind at west-northwest, a gentle gale attended with snow. At four in the morning on the seventeenth 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 east and south-southwest, hauling into every bay or opening in hopes of finding a passage to the south, but we found everywhere the ice closed. We had a gentle gale at northwest with showers of snow. At noon we were by observation in the latitude of fifty-five degrees sixteen minutes south. 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 petrol, 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, in so much 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 two hundred and fifty 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 northeast. 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 a wind at north-west by west, thinking to weather the ice upon this tack, on which we stood but two hours, before we found ourselves quite imbade, being then in latitude fifty-five degrees eight minutes, longitude twenty-four degrees three minutes. 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 they were thick fog. The wind veered to the north-east, freshened and brought with it snow-in-sleet, which froze on the rigging as it fell. We were now unable 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 the latter case is the getting fast in the ice, a situation which would be extremely 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 thought. 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 north-west, with a wind at north-east and north, thick foggy weather, with sleet and snow till six in the evening, when the wind veered to north-west, and we tacked and stood to the eastward, meeting with many islands of ice of different magnitudes and some loose pieces. The thermometer from thirty to thirty-four, weather very hazy with sleet and snow, and more sensibly colder than the thermometer seemed to point out, in so much 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 bays, and had a cap made for each man of the same stuff, together with canvas, which proved a great service to them. Some of our people appearing to have symptoms of the scurvy, the surgeons began to give them fresh work every day, made from the malt we had on board for that purpose. One man in particular was highly scobotic, and yet he had been taking the rob of lemon and orange for some time, without being benefited thereby. On the other hand, Captain Fanot told me that he had two men, who, though far gone in this disease, were now in a manner entirely cured by it. We continued standing to the eastward till eight o'clock in the morning of the twenty-first, when being in the latitude of fifty-three degrees fifty minutes, in longitude twenty-nine degrees twenty-four minutes east, we hauled to the south, with a 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 fifty-four degrees forty-three minutes south, longitude twenty-nine degrees thirty minutes east. At ten o'clock seeing many islands of ice ahead, 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 west-south-west, 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 south-west and south-south-west, a gentle gale, with now and then showers of snow and hail, in the morning being in the latitude of fifty-five degrees twenty minutes south, and longitude thirty-one degrees thirty minutes east. 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 Petrel 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-gray 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 petrels, as I shall call them, are seen nowhere but in the southern hemisphere, from about the latitude of twenty-eight degrees and upwards, a thermometer at thirty-three degrees in the open air, and thirty-two degrees in the sea of the surface, and a thirty-four-and-a-half when drawn, and six-and-a-half minutes in drawing off from one hundred feathers below it, where it had been sixteen minutes. On the twenty-fourth the wind blew from north-west and north-east a gentle gale, fair and cloudy. At noon we were by observation in the latitude of fifty-six degrees thirty-one minutes south, and lung at you thirty-one degrees ninety minutes east, the thermometer at thirty-five, and being near an island of ice, which was about fifty feet high, and four hundred feathers in circuit, I sent the master in the jolly boat to see if any water ran 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 south-east and north-west, at the same time we had continually several islands of the same composition in sight. On the twenty-fifth the wind veering round from the north-east to the east by south it blew a gentle gale, with which we stood the west-south-west, and at noon were in the latitude of fifty-seven degrees fifty minutes south, and lung at you twenty-nine degrees thirty-two minutes east. 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 cold 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 sunshine, and found ourselves by observation in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees thirty-one minutes south, lung at you twenty-six degrees fifty-seven minutes east. 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 north-west and south-east. 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 suppose 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 south-south-west, and soon after six o'clock in the evening we saw some penguins, which occasioned us to sound, but we found no ground with a hundred and fifty fathoms. In the morning of the twenty-seventh 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 petrels. 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 petrels rob 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 naturalists. We were now in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees ninety minutes south, longitude twenty-four degrees thirty-nine minutes east, and took the opportunity of the calm to sound, but found no ground with a line of two twenty fathoms. The calm continued until 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 twenty-eighth I made the signal to the adventure to spread four miles on my starboard beam, and in this position we continued sailing west-south-west, till 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 topsoils, being surrounded on all sides with islands of ice. In the morning of the twenty-ninth we let them out again and set top-gallon sails, still continuing our course to the westward, and meeting with several penguins. At noon we were, by observation, in the latitude of fifty-nine degrees twelve minutes, longitude nineteen degrees one minute east, which is three degrees more to the west than we were when we first fell in with a field of ice, so that it is pretty clear that he 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 favorable, and the sea seemed to be pretty clear of ice, I sent on board for Captain Ferneau 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 two 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 were only the males which we saw. Be that 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 east-north-east, the weather being sometimes tolerably clear, and at other times thick and hazy with snow. The thermometer for a few days passed from thirty-one to thirty-six. At nine o'clock the next morning, being the thirtieth, 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 Petrel 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 north-west, the point on which I reckon the above-mentioned Cape to Bear. At midnight we fell in with loose ice, which soon after obliged us to tech, and stretched to the southward. At half an hour past two o'clock in the morning of the thirty-first, we stood for it again, thinking to take some on board, but this was found impracticable. For the wind, which had been at north-east, now via to south-east, 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, yet standing from north-east by east to south-west by west, 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, all 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 topsoils and strike top-gallant yards. At eight o'clock we tacked and stood to the east till midnight, when being in the latitude of sixty degrees, twenty-one minutes south, longitude thirty degrees, thirty-two minutes east, we stood again to the west. End of Book 1, Chapter 2, Part 1 of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1 by James Cook. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by David Cole Medway, Massachusetts. Departure from the Cape of Good Hope, 1773 January. Next day towards noon the gale abated, so that we could carry close-reefed topsoils. But the weather continued thick and hazy, with sleet and snow, which froze on the rigging as it fell, and ornamented the hole with icicles, the mercury in the thermometer being generally below the freezing point. This weather continued until near noon the next day, at which time we were in the latitude of fifty-nine degrees, twelve minutes south, longitude nine degrees, forty-five minutes east, and here we saw some penguins. The wind had now veered to the west and were so moderate that we could bear two reefs out of the topsoils. In the afternoon we were favoured with the 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 nine degrees, thirty-four minutes, thirty seconds east. Mr. Kendall's watch at the same time giving ten degrees six minutes east, and the latitude was fifty-eight degrees, fifty-three minutes, thirty seconds south. 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, nowhere exceeded one hundred leagues, and in some places not sixty. 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 north-east and blew a fresh gale, with which we stood to south-east. It increased in such a manner that before noon we were brought under close reefed topsoles. The wind continued to veer to the north at last fix at north-west, and was attended with intervals of clear weather. Our course was east one-quarter north till noon the next day, when we were in the latitude of fifty-nine degrees two minutes south, and nearly under the same meridian as we were when we fell in with the last field device 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 fifty-five degrees and fifty-nine degrees, 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 east-south-east 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 than 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 these difficulties with a steady perseverance, and withstood this intense cold much better than I expected. We continued to steer to the east-south-east with a fresh gale at north-west, attended with sleet and snow till the eighth, when we were in the latitude of sixty-one degrees twelve minutes south, longitude thirty-one degrees forty-seven minutes east. 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 two, 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 pickaxes 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 hitting the lane 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. 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 north-west, attended as usual with snowshowers. In the morning at the eleventh, being then in the latitude of sixty-two degrees forty-four minutes south, longitude thirty-seven degrees east, the variation of the compass was twenty-four degrees ten minutes west, and the following morning in the latitude of sixty-four degrees twelve minutes south, longitude thirty-eight degrees fourteen minutes east, by the mean of three compasses, it was no more than twenty-three degrees fifty-two minutes west. 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 inclined to black, and it had white eyebrows. 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 the 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 south-east, with a gentle breeze at south by west, attended with showers of snow. On the thirteenth 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 north-west, near one-third of a mile an hour. At the time of trying the current, a Fahrenheit thermometer was emerged in the sea one hundred fathoms below its surface, where it remained twenty minutes. When it came up the mercury stood at thirty-two, which is the freezing point. Some little time after, being exposed to the surface of the sea, it rose to thirty-three-and-a-half, and in the open air to thirty-six. The calm continued till five o'clock in the evening, when it was succeeded by a light breeze from the south and southeast, with which we stood to the north-east, with all our sail 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 the moon, the mean result of which gave thirty-nine degrees thirty minutes thirty seconds east longitude. Mr. Kendall's watch at the same time gave thirty-eight degrees twenty-seven minutes forty-five seconds, which is one degree two minutes forty-five seconds west of the observations, whereas on the third instant it was half a degree east of them. In the evening I found the variation by the mean of azimuths, taken with Gregory's compass, to be twenty-eight degrees forty minutes zero seconds. By the mean of six azimuths, by one of Dr. Knight's, twenty-eight degrees thirty-two minutes zero seconds, and by another of Dr. Knight's, twenty-eight degrees thirty-four minutes zero seconds. Our latitude at this time was sixty-three degrees fifty-seven minutes, longitude thirty-nine degrees thirty-eight and a half minutes. The succeeding morning the fifteenth, being then in latitude sixty-three degrees thirty-three minutes south, the longitude was observed by the following persons, Viz. Myself, being the mean of six distances of the sun and moon, forty degrees one minute forty-five seconds east. Mr. Whales' Ditto, thirty-nine degrees twenty-nine minutes forty-five seconds. Ditto, Ditto, thirty-nine degrees fifty-six minutes forty-five seconds. Lieutenant Clerk' Ditto, thirty-nine degrees thirty-eight minutes zero seconds. Mr. Gilbert' Ditto, thirty-nine degrees forty-eight minutes forty-five seconds. Mr. Smith' Ditto, thirty-nine degrees eighteen minutes fifteen seconds, million thirty-nine degrees forty-two minutes, twelve seconds. Mr. Kendall's watch made thirty-eight degrees forty-one minutes thirty seconds, which is nearly the same difference as the day before. But Mr. Whales and I took each of us six distances of the sun and moon, with the telescopes fixed to our sectants, which brought out the longitude nearly the same as the watch. The result was as follows, by Mr. Whales thirty-eight degrees thirty-five minutes thirty seconds, and by me thirty-eight degrees thirty-six minutes forty-five seconds. 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 present 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 is by Mr. Dolland, the other and Mr. Clerks by Mr. Ramsdon, and also Mr. Gilbertson Smiths, 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. Four, having on board a good quantity of fresh water or ice, which was the same thing, the people were unable to wash and dry their clothes in 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 thirty-six, and was frequently as low as the freezing point. In the afternoon, having but little wind, I brought two under an island of ice, and sent the 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 a great part of the sixteenth. 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 sixty-four degrees fifty-six minutes south, longitude thirty-nine degrees thirty-five minutes east. I found the variation by Gregory's compass to be twenty-six degrees forty-one minutes west. 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 east and east by south, I continued to stand to the south, and on the seventeenth between eleven and twelve o'clock we crossed the Antarctic Circle in the longitude of thirty-nine degrees thirty-five minutes east. For at noon we were by observation in the latitude of sixty-six degrees thirty-six minutes thirty-second south. 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 southeast round to the south by west. In this space thirty-eight ice islands great and small were seen, besides loose ice in abundance, so that we were obliged to laugh for one piece and bear up for another, and as we continued to advance to the south, it increased in such a manner that the three-quarters past six o'clock, being then in the latitude of sixty-seven degrees fifteen minutes south, we could proceed no farther. The ice being entirely closed to the south, in the whole extent from east to west to south-west, without the least appearance of any opening. This immense field was composed of different kinds of ice, some as high hills, loose or broken pieces packed close together, and what I think Greenland men call field ice. A float of this kind of ice laid to the southeast 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 than surface. Here we saw many whales playing about the ice, and for two days before had seen several flocks of the brown and white pentados, which we named Antarctic Petrels, because they seemed to be natives of that region. They are, undoubtedly, of the Petrel tribe, are in every respect shaped like the pentados, differing only from them in color. 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 petrel also appeared in greater numbers than before, some few dark grey albatrosses, and our constant companion the blue petrel. But the common pentados had quite disappeared, as well as many other sorts, which are common in lower latitudes. End of Book 1, Chapter 2, Part 2 Book 1, Chapter 3, Part 1 of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1 by James Cook. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by David Cole, Midway, Massachusetts. Chapter 3. Sequel of the Search for a Southern Continent Between the Meridian of the Cape of Good Hope in New Zealand, with an account of the separation of the two ships, and the arrival of the Resolution in Dusky Bay. 1773, January. 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 of 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 east by south, 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, wish 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 topsoils. About new in the next day the gale abated, so that we could bear all our reefs out, but the wind still remained in its old water. In the evening being in the latitude of sixty-four degrees twelve minutes south, longitude forty degrees fifty minutes east, 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 northeast. They are a short, thick bird about the size of a large crow, of a dark brown or chocolate colour, with a whitey 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 fellow 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 east-north-east, we tacked and stood to the south-south-east, but at four in the morning of the twentieth it returned back to its old point, and 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 topsoles and strike top-gull and yards, but in the evening the wind abated, so as to admit us to carry whole topsoles and top-gull and yards aloft. Hazy weather with snow and sleet continued. In the afternoon of the twenty-first, being in the latitude of sixty-two degrees twenty-four minutes south, longitude forty-two degrees nineteen minutes east, we saw a white albatross with black-tipped wings and a pintado bird. The wind was now at south and south-west a fresh gale. With this we steered north-east 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 studying sails. In the morning of the twenty-third we were in latitude of sixty-degrees twenty-seven minutes south, longitude forty-five degrees thirty-three minutes east. 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. Having clear weather at intervals I spread the ships abreast four miles from each other, in order the better to discover anything 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 north-east till eight o'clock in the morning of the twenty-fifth, when the wind having veered round to north-east by east, by the western north we tacked, and stood to north-west. The wind was fresh, and yet we made but little way against the high northerly sea. We now began to see some of that sort of petrol, so well known to sailors by the name of Shearwater's, latitude fifty-eight degrees ten minutes, longitude fifty-degrees fifty-four minutes east. 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 foresail, and at main topsoil close reefed. At daylight the next morning added to them the four and mason topsoles. At four o'clock it fell calm, but a prodigious high sea from the north-east, 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 south-east by south. With this we steered north by east till eight o'clock the next morning, between the twenty-seventh, when I spread the ships and steered north-north-east, all sail set, having a fresh breeze at south by west and clear weather. At noon we were by observation in the latitude of fifty-six degrees twenty-eight minutes south, 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, fifty-degrees fifty-nine minutes east, Lieutenant Clerk, fifty-one degrees eleven minutes, Mr. Gilbert, fifty-degrees fourteen minutes, Mr. Smith, fifty-degrees fifty minutes, Mr. Kendall's watch, fifty-degrees fifty minutes. At six o'clock in the evening being in latitude fifty-six degrees nine minutes south, 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, four at two in the afternoon, the sky became cloudy and hazy, the wind increased to a fresh gale, blue in schools 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 topsoil. At eight o'clock I hauled up the mainsail, and run all night under the forsoil, and two topsoils, our course being north-northeast and north-east by north, with a strong gale at north-west. The twenty-ninth at noon we observed in latitude fifty-two degrees twenty-nine minutes south, 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 garland's yards, close reef and hand the topsoils. We spent part of the night, which was very dark and stormy, in making attack to the south-west, and in the morning of the thirtieth stood again to the north-east, wind at north-west and north 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 south-south-west. At four o'clock the next morning the gale had a little abated, and the wind had backed to west by south. We again stood to the northward under courses and double reef topsoils, having a very high sea from the north-north-west, which gave us but little hopes of finding the land we were in search of. At noon we were in the latitude of fifty degrees fifty-six minutes south, longitude fifty-six degrees forty-eight minutes east, 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 crackly 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 two and taken some up. After passing this we saw no more, till we returned again to the south. 1773 February. Hazy gloomy weather continued, and the wind remained invariably fixed at north-west, so that we could make our course no better than north-east by north, and by this course we held until four o'clock in the afternoon of the first of February, being then in the latitude of forty-eight degrees thirty minutes, and longitude fifty-eight degrees seven minutes east, nearly in the meridian of the island of Mauritius, and where we were to expect to find the land set 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 Ferneau 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 rockweed, 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 for the five preceding days prevented me from putting this in execution. The continual high sea we had lately had from the north-east, north-west and west 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 rockweed, and saw two or three birds known by the name of eggbirds, but saw no other signs of land. At noon we observed in latitude forty-eight degrees thirty-six minutes south, longitude fifty-nine degrees thirty-five minutes east, as we could see only 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 south a half-east, 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 forty-nine degrees thirteen minutes south, without having the least signs of land, I wore and stood again to the eastward, and soon after spoke with Captain Fernando. He told me that he thought the land was to the north-west of us, as he had at one time observed the sea to be smooth when the wind blew in that direction. Although 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 a reasonable time. At eight o'clock in the morning of the third, being in the latitude of forty-eight degrees fifty-six minutes south, longitude sixty degrees forty-seven minutes east, and upwards of eight degrees to the east of the of the Mauritius, I began to despair 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 fossils, having a prodigious high sea from west-northwest, notwithstanding the height of the gale, was from north by west. 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 sixth. At this time, being in the latitude of forty-eight degrees six minutes south, longitude fifty-eight degrees twenty-two minutes east, the wind seemingly fixed at west-northwest, and seeing no signs of meeting with land, I gave over plying, and bore away east a little subtly. Being satisfied, that if there is any land here about, it can only be an isle of no great extent, and it was just as probable I might have found it to the eastest of the west. While we were plying about here we took every opportunity to observe the variation of the compass, and found it to be from twenty-seven degrees fifty minutes to thirty degrees twenty-six minutes west. Probably the mean of the two extremes, vis twenty-nine degrees four minutes, is the nearest of 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 lab at 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 seventh, I made the adventure signal to keep it a distance of four miles on my starboard beam, and continued to steer east-south-east. 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 dicks. At noon I steered a point more to the south, being then in the latitude of forty-five degrees forty-nine minutes south, longitude sixty-one degrees forty-eight minutes east. At six o'clock in the evening I called in the adventure, and at the same time took several azimuths, which gave the variation thirty-one degrees twenty-eight minutes west. 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 Eggmont 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 eighth several of these were seen, and divers of two sorts, seemingly such as I usually met with on the coast of England. This occasioned us to sound, but we found at no ground with a line of two hundred and ten fathoms. Our latitude was now forty-nine degrees fifty-three minutes south, and longitude sixty-three degrees thirty-nine minutes east. This was at eight o'clock. By this time the wind had veered round by the northeast to east, blew a brisk gale, and was attended with hazy weather, which soon after turned to a thick fog, and at the same time the wind shifted to northeast. I continued to keep the wind on the lab at TAC, and to fire a gun every hour till noon, when I made the signal to TAC and TAC 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 the separation had taken place, though we were at a loss to tell how it had been affected. I had directed Captain Fornow, in case he was separated from me, to cruise three days in the place where he last saw me. I therefore continued making shortboards and firing half-hour guns, till the ninth 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 northwest with a very strong gale at north-northwest, accompanied with a great sea from the same direction. This, together with an increase of wind, obliged us to lie too 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 overlooking for her, made sail and steered southeast, with a very fresh gale at west by north, accompanied with a high sea from the same direction. While we were beating about here, we frequently saw penguins and divers, which may just 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 petrels, sheer waters, etc. The eleventh at noon ended a latitude of 51 degrees, 15 minutes south, longitude 67 degrees, 20 minutes east. We again met with penguins, and so an egg bird, which we also look upon to be a sign of the vicinity of land. I continued to steer to the southeast, with a fresh gale in the northwest quarter, attended with a long hollow swell, and frequent showers of rain, hail, and snow. The twelfth in the morning, being in the latitude of 52 degrees, 32 minutes south, longitude 69 degrees, 47 minutes east. The variation was 31 degrees, 38 minutes west. In the evening, in the latitude of 53 degrees, 7 minutes south, longitude 70 degrees, 50 minutes east. It was 32 degrees, 30 minutes. And the next morning, in the latitude of 53 degrees, 37 minutes south, longitude 72 degrees, 10 minutes. It was 33 degrees, 8 minutes west. 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 Ferneau would explore this place, which accordingly happened. In the evening we saw Port Egmont-Hen, which flew away in the direction of northeast by east, and the next morning a seal was seen, but no penguins. In the evening being in the latitude of 55 degrees 49 minutes south, longitude 75 degrees 52 minutes east. The variation was 34 degrees 48 minutes west, and in the evening of the 15th, in latitude 57 degrees 2 minutes south, longitude 79 degrees 56 minutes east, it was 38 degrees west. Five seals were seen this day at a few penguins, which occasioned us to sound, without finding any bottom with a line of 150 fathoms. At daylight in the morning of the 16th, we saw an island device to the northward, for which we steered in order to take some on board. But the wind shifting in that direction hindered us from putting this in execution. At this time we were in the latitude of 57 degrees 8 minutes south, longitude 80 degrees 59 minutes east, 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 formally 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 east by northeast, 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 being 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 lights throughout the whole atmosphere. At nine o'clock 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 not 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 south-southwest and south-west, with fair but cloudy weather. This course brought us among many ice aisles, 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 scuttled 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 forty-five 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 thirty-four or thirty-five. In the morning of the eighteenth, being in the latitude of fifty-seven degrees, fifty-four minutes south, longitude eighty-three degrees, forty minutes east, the variation was thirty-nine degrees, thirty-three minutes west. In the evening, in latitude fifty-eight degrees, two minutes south, longitude eighty-four degrees, thirty-five minutes east, it was only thirty-seven degrees, eight minutes west, which induced me to believe it was decreasing. But in the evening of the twentieth, in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees, forty-seven minutes south, longitude ninety-degrees, fifty-six minutes east, I took nine azimuths with Dr. Knight's compass, which gave the variation forty-degrees, seven minutes, and nine others with Gregory's, which gave forty-degrees, fifty minutes west. This day it knew in being nearly in the latitude longitude just mentioned. We thought we saw land to the south-west. 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 south in clear weather. We were, however, soon un-deceived by finding 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 twenty-first in the morning, having little wind and a smooth sea, two favorable circumstances were 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 fifty-nine degrees south, longitude ninety-two degrees thirty minutes east. Having about two hours before us 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 southeast, with a gentle breeze at north by east, attending with the 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 east by south, blew a fresh scale. With this we stood to the south, till eight o'clock in the evening of the twenty-third, at which time we were in the latitude of sixty-one degrees fifty-two minutes south, longitude ninety-five degrees two minutes east. 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 daylight. 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 unfavorable 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 east-south-east, accompanied with sleet and snow, 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 if we can generally see them, unless there were to be very thick and dark, before we are very near them, whereas the others cannot be seen in the night, till they are under our ship's boughs. 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 had once filled the mind with admiration and horror, and can only be described by the hand of an able painter. 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 sit, meeting with many ice islands. This night we saw a port Eggmont-Hen, and next morning being the twenty-fifth another. We had lately seen but few birds, and these were albatrosses, sheer waters, and blue petrels. It is remarkable that we did not see one of either the white or Antarctic petrels, since we came last among the ice. Notwithstanding the wind kept it west and northwest 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 latitude sixty degrees fifty-one minutes, longitude ninety-five degrees forty-one minutes east. The variation was forty-three degrees six minutes west, and the next morning being the twenty-sixth, having advanced about a degree and a half more to the east, it was forty-one degrees thirty minutes, both being determined by several azimuths. We had fair weather all the afternoon, but the wind was unsettled, varying round by the north to the east. With this we stood to the south east and east till three o'clock in the afternoon when, being in the latitude of sixty-one degrees twenty-one minutes south, longitude ninety-seven degrees seven minutes east. 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, blue in score walls, attended with snow and sleet, and thick hazy weather, which soon brought us under our close-reef tuftsals. Between eight in the morning of the twenty-sixth and noon the next day, we fell in among several islands of ice, from which such vast quantities have broken us to cover the sea all round us, and render sailing while the dangers. However, by noon we were clear of it all. In the evening the wind abated and veered to southwest, 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 east to southwest. That I was certain no land of considerable extent could lie within a hundred or a hundred and fifty leagues of our situation between these two points. The mean height of the thermometer at noon, for several days past, was at about thirty-five, 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, as how 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 chill-blamed. Such is the summer weather we enjoyed. Chapter 3 Sequel of the Search for a Southern Continent between the Meridian of the Cape of Good Hope, New Zealand, with an account of the separation of the two ships and the arrival of the resolution in Dusky Bay. Part 2 1773 March 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 northeast and northeast by east, attended with a thick fog, snow, sleet, and rain. With this wind and weather we kept on to the southeast 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 sixty degrees, thirty-six minutes south, longitude one oh seven degrees fifty-four minutes, and had a prodigious high swell from the southwest, and at the same time another from the south or south-south-east. The dashing of the one wave against the other made the ship both roll and pitch exceedingly, but at length the northwest swell prevailed. The calm continued till noon the next day, when it was succeeded by a gentle breeze from southeast, which afterwards increased and veered to southwest. With this we steered northeast by east and east by north, under all the sail we could set. In the afternoon of the third, being in latitude sixty degrees thirteen minutes, longitude one hundred and ten degrees eighteen minutes, the variation was thirty-nine degrees four minutes west, 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 thirty-six to thirty-eight. We continued to have a northwest swell, although the wind was unsettled veering to northwest by the western north, 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 fourth, when, being in the latitude of sixty degrees thirty-seven minutes, longitude one hundred and thirty degrees twenty-four minutes. The wind shifting at once to southwest and southwest by south, I gave orders to steer east by north to half north, but in the night we steered east to half south, in order to have the wind, which was at south-south west, 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 too. In the morning of the fifth we steered east by north, 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 longed up 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 sixty degrees forty-four minutes south, and longitude one hundred and sixty degrees fifty minutes east. 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, so far as sixty degrees 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. Four, in the morning of the sixth, 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 one hundred 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 fifty-nine degrees fifty-eight minutes south, longitude one hundred and eighteen degrees thirty-nine minutes east. The seventh, the wind was variable in the north-east and south-east 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 forty degrees. Mr. Wales and the Master made some observations of the moon and stars, which satisfied us that, when our latitude was fifty-nine degrees forty-four minutes, our longitude was one hundred and twenty-one degrees nine minutes. At three o'clock in the afternoon the calm was succeeded by a breeze at south-east. The sky at the same time was suddenly obscured and seemed to presage an approaching storm, which accordingly happened. Four in the evening the wind shifted to south, blue 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 ran at a good rate to the east-north-east under our two courses and close-reef topsoils. The gale continued till the evening of the tenth. Then it abated, the wind shifted to 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 fifty-seven degrees fifty-six minutes, longitude one hundred and thirty degrees, the wind shifted to north-east and blew a fresh gale, with which we stood south-east, having frequent showers of snow and sleet, and a long hollow swell from south-south-east and south-east by south. 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 twelfth, when we were stopped by a calm, being then in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees fifty-six minutes south, longitude one hundred and thirty-one degrees twenty-six minutes east. After a few hours' calm, a breeze sprung up at west, with which we stood east. The south-south-east swell, having gone down, was succeeded by another from north-west by west. The weather continued mild all this day, and the murky rose to thirty-nine and a half. In the evening it fell calm, and continued so till three o'clock in the morning of the thirteenth, when we got the wind at east and southeast, a fresh breeze attended with snow and sleet. In the afternoon it became fair, and the wind veered round to the south and south-south west. In the evening, being in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees fifty-nine minutes, longitude one hundred and thirty-four degrees, 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 south-east and south-south east, 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. Whales an opportunity to get some observations of the sun and moon. Their results reduced to noon when the latitude was fifty-eight degrees twenty-two minutes south, gave us one hundred and thirty-six degrees twenty-two minutes east longitude. Mr. Kendall's watch at the same time gave one thirty-four degrees forty-two minutes, 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, which we had at times for the last two or three days, made me wish I had been a few degrees of latitude further 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 by, we were pretty well used to. In the afternoon, the serenity of the sky was presently obscured. The wind veered round to the southwest to west, 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 fifteenth. At this time the wind abated and shifted to southeast. 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 fifty-nine degrees, seventy minutes south, longitude one forty degrees, twelve minutes east, and had such a large hollow swell from west-south-west as ensured 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 of sixty degrees 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 sixteenth, which was as soon as the sun appeared, in the latitude of fifty-eight degrees, fifty-one minutes south, our longitude was one forty-four degrees, ten minutes east. 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 fifty-eight degrees, fifty-eight minutes south, longitude one forty-four degrees, thirty-seven minutes east. I found the variation by several azimuths to be thirty-one minutes east. I was not a little pleased with being able to determine, with so much precision, this point of the line, in which the compass had no variation. For I look upon half a degree as next to nothing, so that the intersection of the latitude and longitude just mentioned. Maybe you reckon 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 southwest till five o'clock the next morning, when, being in the latitude of fifty-nine degrees seven minutes south, longitude one forty-six degrees fifty-three minutes east. I bore away northeast 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 he joined the coast of New South Wales. In the night of the seventeenth the wind shifted to northwest and blew in schools, attended with thick hazy weather and rain. This continued all the eighteenth, in the evening of which day, being in the latitude of fifty-six degrees fifteen minutes south, longitude one fifty degrees, the sky cleared up, and we found the variation by several azimuths to be thirteen degrees thirty minutes east. Soon after we holed up with the log a piece of rockweed, 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 rockweed, being at this time in the latitude of fifty-five degrees one minute, longitude one fifty-two degrees one minute east. In the latitude of fifty-four degrees four minutes we also saw a port Eggmont 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 two hundred and sixty 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 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 west and west-south west. We continued to meet with, now and then, a seal, Port Egmont-Hens and Seaweed. On the morning of the twenty-second the wind shifted to south and brought with it fair weather. At noon we found ourselves in the latitude of forty-nine degrees fifty-five minutes, longitude one fifty-nine degrees twenty-eight minutes, having a very large swell out of the southwest. For the three days past the mercury in the thermometer had risen to forty-six 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 north-east a good rate, having a brisk gale between the south and east, meeting with seals, Port Egmont-Hens, Egbirds, Seaweed, etc., and having constantly a very large swell from the southwest. At ten o'clock in the morning of the twenty-fifth, the land of New Zealand was seen from the mast head and at noon from the deck, extending from north-east by east to east, distant ten leagues. As I intended to put into Dusky Bay or any other port I could find, on the southern part of Tavae per Nanamu, we steered in for the land. Under all the sail we could carry, having the advantage of a fresh gale at west and tolerably clear weather. This last was not a 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 breakings and broken ground ahead, I tacked in twenty-five further water and stood out to sea with the wind at north-west. This bay lies on the southeast side of Cape West, and may be known by a white cliff on one of the aisles which lies in the entrance of the bay. This part of the coast I did not see but had 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 reef topsals 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 east by north by north, for which we steered, and entered Dusky Bay about noon. In the entrance of it we found forty-four fathoms of water, a sandy bottom, the West Cape bedding south south east, and five fingers point, or the north point of the bay, north. Here we had a great swell rolling in from the southwest. The depth of water decreased to forty fathoms, afterwards we had no ground with sixty. We were, however, too far advanced to return, and therefore stood on, not doubting but that we should find anchorage. In this bay we were all strangers, in my form of voyage, having done no more than discover and name it. After running about two leagues up the bay and passing several of the aisles which lay in it, I brought two, and hoisted out two boats, one of which I sent away with an officer round a point on the lab at hand to look for anchorage. This he found and signified the same by signal. We then followed with the ship and anchored in fifty fathoms water, so near the shore as to reach it with an oorzer. This was on Friday the 26th of March, at three in the afternoon, after having been one hundred and seventeen days at sea, in which time we had sailed three thousand six hundred 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 work being given to such as were scobotic. This had so far the desired effect that we had only one man on board that could be called very ill of this disease, occasion 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 work, but to the frequent airing and sweetening the ship by fires, etc. We must also allow portable broth and sauerkraut 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 are fishing. In the meantime some of the gentlemen killed the seal, out of many that were upon a rock, which made us a fresh meal.