our position at 9.15 p.m., agreed exactly with the former determination.
With a moderate breeze from the north-eastward, Feb. 3.we stood to the N.N.W. to gain an offing, as we were prevented by the pack making any way to the eastward, and the barometer falling gradually seemed to indicate the approach of unfavourable weather. But the wind veering to the southeast in the afternoon, and late in the evening to south, the weather, contrary to our expectations, continued clear, and the breeze freshening we made way to the eastward, having got to the northward of the pack, and having the barrier still in sight to the southward. We passed through several streams of loose ice, and saw a great many whales of small size; several of them marked with large white patches. In the evening a cask was put overboard in lat. 77° S. and long. 187° 24′ E., containing a brief account of our proceedings, and with a request that whoever might find it would forward the paper to the Secretary of the Admiralty. It was my practice to throw a bottle over almost every day containing a paper with our latitude and longitude marked on it, for the purpose of gaining information respecting the joint effects of the prevailing winds and currents in these parts; but amongst ice, and in so turbulent an ocean, I fear but few of them will ever be found to subserve the intended purpose.
The next day we had a strong breeze from the Feb. 4.southward, and pushed our way through loose ice