Jan. 15.
At noon we were in lat. 71° 56′ S., Possession Island bearing (true) west of us, distant seven or eight miles. Whenever we approached the land we found ourselves attended by shoals of penguins, which kept playing about our ships and alongside of them, much as porpoises do in our own seas, probably attracted by the shining copper. Whales also were seen in considerable numbers during the day; and they who may hereafter seek them in these latitudes will do well to keep near and under the lee of extensive banks of ice to protect themselves from the heavy sea they will have to encounter, and from which we experienced much inconvenience whenever we tacked off to the eastward, the ship pitching her bowsprit under very frequently, nothing but the great care of the officers of the watches prevented our losing some of the spars. We nevertheless made progress to the southward, assisted by a strong tide, or more properly a current, since it had been setting us to windward for more than twelve hours. We sounded always as we approached the land, and found from sixty to ninety-two fathoms, when at two and a half to four miles' distance.
Whilst measuring some angles for the survey, an island I had not before noticed appeared, which I was quite sure was not to be seen two or three hours previously. It was above one hundred feet high, and nearly the whole of the summit and eastern side perfectly free from snow. I was much surprised at the circumstance, and on calling the