Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/357

1841 gale was, however, of only a few hours' duration, but at daylight the fog and snow were so thick Feb. 26.that we could not see beyond a mile at any time, which, together with the very light and variable winds and occasional calms, effectually prevented our making any progress during the day, which closed in upon us during a perfect calm; the heavy swell, and unceasing heavy snow, rendered the darkness of the night so much more perplexing, and our situation most anxious, as we could not tell one minute what might happen the next. An easterly breeze succeeded, and the snow ceased, so that at daylight the next morning we made sail Feb. 27.to the northward, just able to fetch along the edge of the main pack under our lee: at noon we were lat. 67° 27′ S., long. 167° 49′ E., and here we tried for but did not obtain soundings with two hundred and ten fathoms of line: the light easterly winds, which had prevailed for some hours, was followed by a strong breeze from W.N.W., which freshened up to a gale before dark, and continued to blow with great force throughout the night; these sudden changes of wind, and frequent alternations of gales and calms, occasion the navigation of these regions so late in the season to be a cause of continual anxiety of mind: attended, as they almost invariably are, by thick weather, constant snow showers, and a heavy swell, it is difficult to say whether the gales or the calms are the more embarrassing and dangerous. In the calms it is true you are less likely to meet with dangers, on