At
Eight O'clock Saw An Island Of Ice To The Westward Of Us, Being Then In The
Latitude Of 56 Deg.
40' S. and longitude 2 deg.
0' E. of the Cape of Good Hope.
Soon after the wind moderated, and we let all the reefs out of the top-
sails, got the spritsail-yard out, and top-gallant-mast 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 and 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 50 feet high, and
half a mile in circuit. It was flat at top, and its sides rose in a
perpendicular direction, against which the sea broke exceedingly high.
Captain Furneaux 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 top-sails, and at the same
time sounded, but found no ground with 150 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 24 hours from 36-1/2 to 31.
At day-light in the morning of the 11th, 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 51 deg. 50' S., and longitude 21 deg. 3' E., where
we saw some white birds about the size of pigeons, with blackish bills and
feet. I never saw any such before; and Mr Forster had no knowledge of them.
I believe them to be of the peterel tribe, and natives of these icy
seas.[3] 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 N.W. which enabled us to steer S.W. On the
12th 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, and 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 were 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 getting among the ice islands, the albatrosses left us;
that is, we saw but one now and then. Nor did our other companions, the
pintadoes, sheerwaters, small grey birds, fulmars, &c., appear in such
numbers; on the other hand, penguins began to make their appearance. Two of
these birds were seen to-day.
The wind in the night veered to west, and at last fixed at S.W., 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,
passed no less than eighteen ice islands, and saw more penguins. At noon on
the 13th, we were in the latitude of 54 deg. S., which is the latitude of Cape
Circumcision, discovered by M. Bouvet in 1739; but we were ten degrees of
longitude east of it; that is, near 118 leagues in this latitude. We stood
on to the S.S.E. 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 150 fathom of line.
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 o'clock in the morning
of the 14th, 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
S.W. by S. 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.[4] Being
now in the latitude of 54 deg. 50' S. and longitude 21 deg. 34' E., and having the
wind at N.W. we bore away along the edge of the ice, steering S.S.E. and
S.E., according to the direction of the north side of it, where we saw many
whales, penguins, some white birds, pintadoes, &c.
At eight o'clock we brought-to under a point of the ice, where we had
smooth water: and I sent on board for Captain Furneaux. After we had fixed
on rendezvouses 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 along-side, which yielded fresh water. At
noon we had a good observation, and found ourselves in latitude 54 deg. 55' S.
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 S.S.W., the sea
appearing to be clear of ice in that direction.
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