In this situation we had two ice islands in sight, one of which seemed to
be as large as any we had seen.
It could not be less than two hundred feet
in height, and terminated in a peak not unlike the cupola of St Paul's
church. At this time we had a great westerly swell, which made it
improbable that any land should lie between us and the meridian of 133 deg.
1/2, which was our longitude, under the latitude we were now in, when we
stood to the north. In all this route we had not seen the least thing that
could induce us to think we were ever in the neighbourhood of any land. We
had, indeed, frequently seen pieces of sea-weed; but this, I am well
assured, is no sign of the vicinity of land; for weed is seen in every part
of the ocean. After a few hours calm, we got a wind from S.E.; but it was
very unsettled, and attended with thick snow-showers; at length it fixed at
S. by E., and we stretched to the east. The wind blew fresh, was piercing
cold, and attended with snow and sleet. On the 22d, being in the latitude
of 62 deg. 5' S., longitude 112 deg. 24' W., we saw an ice island, an antartic
peterel, several blue peterels, and some other known birds; but no one
thing that gave us the least hopes of finding land.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 440 of 885
Words from 118927 to 119179
of 239428
