A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions/Volume 1/Chapter 5
Rossbank Observatory—Hobart Town. Page 126.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Fresh breeze, N.W.; unmoored at daylight, 1840
July 20.weighed at 8h. 15m. a.m., and stood out to sea, passing close along Terror Reef, over which the sea was breaking, sufficiently indicating the danger, although, owing to the haziness of the weather, we had lost sight of the land, and at two or three miles from it we could not get soundings with fifty fathoms of line.
In the afternoon the freshening breeze reduced us to close-reefed topsails, and the Terror falling far astern about the same time, obliged us to haul the foresail up. We were before night well clear of the land, and the numerous rocky patches that lie a considerable distance from its shores. Upon some of these there is not less than thirty or forty fathoms, but in others the rocks are very near the surface, and unless there be a high sea running, so that it may break over these treacherous shallows, the navigation amongst them is hazardous, more especially as there is usually no anchorage near them, owing to the great depth of water.
A shoal of porpoises was seen, and we passed many floating beds of sea-weed, some of them more than a mile in breadth. The wind had increased to a gale, which continued to blow with frequent July 21–23.snow-squalls throughout the 21st, 22d, and 23d, which, together with the long dark nights of this season of the year, rendered it difficult, notwithstanding the constant firing of guns and burning of blue lights, to keep the ships in company with each other.
During the snow-squalls the temperature of the air invariably fell several degrees, and on one occasion was as low as 27°, although the sea maintained an uniform heat of about 36°; the vapour which rose from water of that temperature almost as speedily froze before it attained any considerable altitude, and kept us continually enveloped in haze and snow. We should have felt some alarm at meeting such large quantities of sea-weed had we not before observed that the masses which had been torn away from the shores of Prince Edward's and the Marion and Crozet's groups were met with only to the eastward of those islands, whilst scarcely any were seen as we approached them from the westward. Meeting with it now in such abundance confirmed me in the belief that there is a general tendency of the surface water in these parts to the eastward, most probably occasioned by the westerly winds, which, at this season, at any rate, prevail almost as steadily as do the trade winds in the equatorial regions.
We also found ourselves every day from twelve to sixteen miles by observation in advance of our reckoning, as may be seen by referring to the table in the Appendix, where our daily position is given; and the effect of the current is noted whenever observations for both latitude and longitude were obtained.
Several kinds of petrel were the only birds seen; but these, particularly the Cape pigeon, were very abundant.
Wind more moderate, still from the westward. July 24.The temperature of the sea rose from 37° at 1 p.m. to 46° at 11 p.m., that of the air at the same time having fallen from 33° to 31°. This unaccountable increase of temperature of the sea, which had for several previous days averaged about 35°.5, continued until 7 p.m. the next day, extending over a space of eighty-six miles; it then fell to 40°, the air being at 29°, with a strong south-westerly gale blowing, and frequent snow showers.
By our observations at noon we found ourselves July 26.fifty-eight miles to the eastward of our reckoning, showing the greatest amount of current during the last two days that we had experienced since leaving Kerguelen Island.
The rise of the barometer to thirty inches, remarkably high for these latitudes, was followed, at 8 p.m., by a gale from the north-west of twelve hours' duration. We continued to see many patches July 27.of sea-weed, and again at night the north wind freshened to a gale: the Terror had dropped far astern, so that at daylight we could scarcely see July 28.her, although we had purposely kept under moderate sail, to our great inconvenience, the ship rolling heavily in consequence of not having sufficient sail to steady her. Towards noon she closed with us, and continued to keep better company until the increasing gale reduced our sails to the close-reefed main topsail and foresail, which had now become necessary to keep the ship before the high following sea, when, owing to the great difficulty they had in steering her, we passed ahead, and her light was only dimly seen during the early part of the afternoon. The gale continued all night with a heavy cross sea: there was much lightning to the eastward; meteors in great numbers were seen darting about in all directions, and the whole aspect of the sky proclaimed a convulsion or disturbance of the atmosphere of an unusual character; the barometer descended rapidly, and at 4 a.m. stood 28.88.
July 29.For several hours the Terror had ceased to answer our night signals, and when day broke we could not see any thing of her. At this time, the sea having become more regular, we hauled the fore-sail up, and rounded to under a close-reefed main-topsail, to enable her to rejoin, supposing that she had broached to during the night, or that they had found it impossible or imprudent to scud before the gale. We remained hove to as long as daylight lasted, when we gave up all expectation of again meeting her until our arrival at the next rendezvous. The barometer continued to fall until 3 p.m., when, at its lowest (28.29.), there was nothing in the sky to indicate more than an ordinary storm, indeed the gale had abated considerably; but so great was our reliance on the barometer, that we kept the ship under snug sail, and every way prepared for whatever might happen; and soon the dense accumulating clouds gave notice of the tempest which shortly followed. We, however, escaped it with but little damage, by the steadiness of our men that were steering, and by keeping the vessel directly before the wind; although the seas broke into our ship over both quarters, flooding our decks to a depth of more than two feet, and obliged us to knock out the ports to let the water run off and relieve her of its weight. The mountainous sea, before which we had been scudding was quelled, for the time, by the force of the wind, whilst the tops of the waves were driven completely over us in sheets of water; but the violence of the hurricane was such as soon to expend itself. Beginning at N.N.W., in an hour and three quarters the storm had abated to the strength of a common gale from the west, and in that short space of time the mercury in the barometer rose nearly half an inch.
During the night the wind and sea subsided, July 30.and we had a comparatively fine morning. We were all anxiously looking out for the Terror, and wondering how she had weathered the breeze, when a wooden hoop of a cask was seen close to us. By this we felt certain that she had run past us during the time that we were hove-to for her, and was now probably far ahead; we therefore pressed all sail on the ship to endeavour to overtake her. The day being very favourable, we seized the opportunity of drying our sails and clothes, which had been most thoroughly drenched, and of repairing the damages we had sustained.
In this and many other respects we felt the fine weather to be a great advantage to us: but this afternoon it pleased God to visit us by an unlooked-for calamity,—Mr. Roberts, the boatswain, whilst engaged about the rigging, fell overboard and was drowned. The life-buoy was instantly let go, and two boats lowered down; they reached the spot where we saw him sink only a few seconds too late! The gloom which the loss of one of our small party, at the outset of our voyage, occasioned, was for a time merged in feelings of painful anxiety, and afterwards of heartfelt gratitude, for the merciful preservation of the whole crew of one of the boats, who, in their humane endeavours to save the life of our unfortunate shipmate, very nearly sacrificed their own. Mr. Oakley, mate, and Mr. Abernethy, the gunner, had returned to the ship with one boat, when the other, still at a considerable distance from us, was struck by a sea, which washed four of the crew out of her. Mr. Abernethy immediately again pushed off from the ship, and succeeded in saving them from their perilous situation, completely benumbed and stupified with the cold. The boats were, with much difficulty, owing to the sea that was running, hoisted up, and not until after one of them had been again swamped alongside.
We resumed our course under all sail, although this calamitous detention of some hours frustrated all our expectations of overtaking the Terror. A small iceberg, seen at a considerable distance just before dark, warned us to be vigilant during the night, which at this season being fifteen hours long obliged us to run at all hazards, or to delay our voyage to a ruinous extent. It has at all times a good effect upon those whose duty it is to look out, and an advantageous stimulus even to the most diligent, occasionally to see real dangers; but they were, in this instance, the cause of several false alarms, from the impression left upon our minds.
The weather continued fine all night and the July 31.greater part of the next day. Numerous birds of the petrel kind, which were flying about, seemed to enjoy the short-lived tranquillity, and were eagerly employed searching the patches of floating sea-weed for small fish and marine insects, which find a precarious security amongst its densely interwoven branches from the persecutions of their enemies.
Barnacles, and a beautiful species of Serpula, were found attached to the stems of some weed that was hooked up as we sailed along.
Two small icebergs were seen in the course of the day; and from the low temperature of the air and sea these last two days, we were in constant expectation of meeting a large body of ice. We found also that we had been carried forward thirty miles to-day by the easterly current.
Gale followed gale in quick succession for several days, and indeed with only brief intervals of more moderate weather. Whenever the wind veered to the northward of west it was invariably accompanied by thick weather and snow showers; cold weather and a clear sky as certainly prevailed with the south-westerly gales,—the barometer also always rising with the latter, and descending with Aug. 4.the former. On the fourth, at 8 p.m., it was down to 28.433, with only a fresh breeze; but a gale, Aug. 5.which followed throughout the next day from the south-west, raised it more than an inch before it Aug. 6.abated, at 8 a.m. of the sixth, when we were again favoured with a few hours of pleasant weather.
At every opportunity we continued our magnetic observations, notwithstanding the general inclemency of the weather: we were the more anxious to obtain them, owing to the utter deficiency of all such knowledge in these parts. We had been led to expect that one of the magnetic foci of greatest intensity would be found in about the latitude of 47° S. and longitude 140° E. We therefore pursued that parallel of latitude as nearly as possible; and by means of the admirable contrivance of Mr. R. W. Fox were able, in tolerably moderate weather, to determine the three magnetic elements with even more precision on board our ships than they are susceptible of on shore, on account of the unknown and indeterminable amount of local attraction; and even in the heaviest gales, after a little practice with his instrument, they may be observed with sufficient exactness to afford very useful and important information. Throughout the whole distance of between three and four thousand miles, from Kerguelen Island to Van Diemen Land, we could not have derived a single satisfactory result with the instruments in common use; and this portion of the ocean, at least, must for the present have remained a blank upon our charts. But, with Mr. Fox's apparatus, the dip and intensity observations were accomplished in an almost uninterrupted series of daily experiments.
By reference to the annexed table, the progressive increase of intensity, after leaving Kerguelen Island, and the points at which we successively crossed the isodynamic lines of 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, &c., until, on the sixth of August, in lat. 46° 44′ S., Aug. 6and long. 128° 26′ E., we found it to attain its greatest amount in this parallel of latitude, being there 2.034, and thence again as gradually diminishing to 1.824 at Van Diemen Land. The weather did not admit of our attempting to determine the actual position of the focus of maximum intensity, which, from our observations, we considered to be far to the southward of the course we had pursued, and beyond what it was possible to follow at this time of the year.
| Date. | Lat. | Log. | Intensity. | Dip. | Variation. | Remarks. |
| ° ′ | ° ′ | ° ′ | ||||
| June | 48.41 | 68.54 | 1.465 | 69.596 | 30.34 W. | Christmas Harbour. |
| July 22 | 48.29 | 76.55 | 1.539 | 70.55 | — | |
| 23 | 48.17 | 80.15 | 1.574 | 71.50 | — | |
| 24 | 47.55 | 83.31 | 1.601 | 72.34 | — | |
| 25 | 47.46 | 86.18 | 1.575 | 73.33 | — | |
| 26 | 47.12 | 89.45 | 1.565 | 73.35 | — | |
| 27 | 47.3 | 93.0 | 1.712 | 74.37 | 27.39 W. | |
| 28 | 47.13 | 97.7 | 1.712 | too much | motion | |
| 30 | 47.39 | 102.42 | 1.855 | 74.28 | — | |
| 31 | 47.35 | 106.26 | 1.863 | 74.31 | 21.39 W. | |
| Aug. 1 | 47.45 | 110.39 | 1.815 | 75.8 | — | |
| 2 | 47.34 | 114.15 | 1.970 | 75.26 | 14.47 W. | |
| 4 | 47.41 | 121.30 | 1.992 | 76.4 | 12.50 | |
| 5 | 47.34 | 124.43 | 1.996 | 76.40 | — | |
| 6 | 46.44 | 128.26 | 2.034 | 75.41 | — | |
| 7 | 46.13 | 132.0 | 1.980 | 75.17 | 2.41 W. | |
| 8 | 45.59 | 135.38 | 1.989 | 73.48 | 0.55 E. | |
| 9 | 45.17 | 139.19 | 2.005 | 73.23 | 4.26 | |
| 10 | 44.24 | 141.39 | 1.976 | 72.37 | 5.56 | |
| 11 | 44.16 | 142.38 | 1.934 | 73.3 | 11.38 | |
| Hobart-town, Van Diemen's Land. | ||||||
| 42.52 | 147.27 | 1.824 | 70.40 | 10.24 | ||
The observations of the variation of the compass during this run were also of more than ordinary interest; the westerly variation gradually diminishing in amount until the eighth of August, when, in Aug. 8.lat. 46° S. and long. 134½° E., we crossed the line of no variation, and then as rapidly increased the easterly variation. This position of the line of no variation is rather further to the eastward than former observations would have placed it, and in opposition to the generally assumed progressive movement of the isogonal lines, from east to west in the southern hemisphere. It is, however, remarked by Professor Barlow, in his laborious investigation of this matter, in the Philosophical Transactions (for 1837, p. 671.), that this line of no variation, which passes through Australasia, has undergone very little change of position during these last sixty years; and it seems probable that the variation about this spot is as fixed as that on the coast of America. It would, however, be desirable, under favourable circumstances of weather, to repeat experiments on the variation at regular intervals of time, in order to ascertain whether a retrograde movement of the isogonal lines in these parts may not have begun, as our observations would seem to show; and as is well known to have occurred with those in England between twenty and thirty years ago.
We have also full reason to believe that at the Cape of Good Hope, where the westerly variation had been regularly increasing ever since about the year 1600, when the line of no variation passed through it, at the average rate of between seven and eight minutes annually, attained its maximum in 1840. By our observations in April of that year it amounted to 29° 14′ W., and those made at the Magnetic Observatory, since its establishment there by me at that time, and afterwards by myself, on revisiting it in April, 1843, concur to show that it has diminished to 28° 58′.
The perfection to which the making of chronometers has attained has rendered general magnetic charts almost unnecessary for nautical purposes; but there are some meridians where the change of variation is so rapid, that in cases where chronometers cannot be depended upon, or are altogether wanting, the longitude may be determined with a considerable degree of exactness by such means; especially to the southward of Australasia, on the usual track of all vessels going from England to her colonies, as also on the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope, and is well worthy the attention of those in charge of our merchant ships.
Aug. 10.The 10th was a beautiful moderate day, and afforded us an opportunity, during the afternoon, of trying the temperature of the ocean in various parts, to the depth of six hundred fathoms, but without striking ground. At 10 h. 50 m. p.m. a burr was observed round the moon, the inner circle being 0° 53′, and the outer 1° 50′ distant from her disc, exhibiting brilliant prismatic colours.
Aug. 12.At noon the south-west cape of New Holland was observed, bearing N.E. by N., distant nine or ten leagues, and some other parts of the coast soon afterwards became visible. But just at this time the wind increased so suddenly and violently, that we could hardly take in our sails quickly enough, and in a few minutes were reduced to a close-reefed main-topsail: at 8 p.m., when blowing a perfect hurricane, the lee main-topsail sheet gave way, and in an instant the sail was rent into numberless ribands, and soon entirely disappeared. The only sail then left on the ship, a new main-staysail, was soon afterwards blown away,—no canvass could stand against such a storm. At 10 p.m. the barometer stood at 28.16; and although it then began to rise, we could not perceive the slightest abatement of the hurricane until after midnight, when it gradually moderated, and, at the same time, shifted from north to west. It continued to blow a storm of ordinary violence, with only occasional furious squalls, throughout the 13th, 14th, and 15th; when, having been driven a August
13, 14, 15great distance to the southward, we again stood in shore, and struck soundings at 11 p.m.in ninety fathoms. By the assistance of a bright full moon, we saw the land of Tasmania directly ahead of us at 3 a.m.; and after beating up into Storm Bay, Aug. 16.we anchored at eleven o'clock the same night, off the light at the entrance of the Derwent, in thirteen fathoms, to wait for daylight, and get a pilot for the river.
As soon as the tide suited we weighed the next morning, and with a strong breeze beat up into the river, where a pilot came on board, and gave us the gratifying news of the arrival of the Terror the day before us, and bringing with him a number of newspapers, which, although of not very recent date, contained much that was new to us.
It was a very fine day, and we all greatly enjoyed the rich and beautiful scenery on both sides of the expansive and placid waters of the Derwent; perhaps making a more powerful impression on our minds from the contrast which they presented to the desolate land and turbulent ocean we had so recently left.
We anchored at five in the afternoon off Fort Mulgrave, when Captain Crozier came on board with satisfactory accounts from the Terror. I immediately proceeded to Government-house, and received the most kind welcome from our warm-hearted friends Sir John and Lady Franklin.
Anxious to get the permanent observatory at work as speedily as possible, I was rejoiced to learn from the Lieutenant-Governor that the materials of which it was to be constructed had been prepared several months, according to a plan sent from England, and ready to be put together as soon as the site should be determined upon; I therefore accompanied Sir John Franklin the next morning to examine several places which he thought likely; and having selected that which appeared to me the most unexceptionable for the purpose, a party of two hundred convicts were the same afternoon set to work to dig the foundation, prepare the blocks of freestone which were to form its base, and the solid pillars of the same materials, which were to be the supports for the instruments, and bring the prepared timbers from the government store.
The spot selected for the building is in the government demesne, near the site of the proposed new Government-house, and commands a delightful view of the beautiful river Derwent and surrounding country. Its chief advantage, however, as a magnetic station, arises from its being placed over a thick bed of sandstone, which having been quarried to the depth of thirty or forty feet prevents all doubt as to the geological character of the substratum, a circumstance of first importance in all magnetic operations, and more especially so in a country where are to be found such manifest indications of its igneous origin.
The ships were warped further up the river, and securely moored in a small cove off the government grounds, in a situation convenient for ready communication with the Observatory, and out of the bustle and confusion of the general commerce of the colony. I strongly recommended this anchorage for the use of vessels of war visiting Hobart-town, as being in every respect the most desirable; and I am glad to find it has been very generally resorted to by those of her Majesty's ships that have touched there lately. During the stay of our vessels at this place it was called, in almost ironical compliment to them, Yacht Bay, but I perceive, in the more recent plans that have been published, it bears the name of Ross Cove.
The examination and refitting of the rigging and the necessary caulking, repairing, and painting the ships, were proceeded with under the most favourable circumstances, every facility and assistance being most cordially afforded to us by the gentlemen at the head of the various public offices; and I feel under especial obligations to the Assistant Commissary-general, George McLean, Esq., for his ready compliance with every demand made upon his department, the immediate removal of every difficulty, and the personal interest and trouble he took to obtain for us the unusually large supplies we required, and all of them of the very best kind, to our very great comfort, as well as real benefit to the service.
Under the daily personal superintendence of Sir John Franklin, the zealous co-operation of Major Kelsall, of the Royal Engineers, and the able and indefatigable exertions of Mr. Howe, the clerk of the works, the building of the Observatory proceeded most rapidly, and the whole was completed and roofed in, the stone pillars fixed upon the solid sandstone rock, the instruments placed on them, and all their delicate adjustments fulfilled, a few hours before the term-day observations of the 27th of August were to be commenced. Thus the erection of this Observatory was accomplished in the brief period of nine days,—an instance of what may be done where the hearts and energies of all are united to promote the common object of their endeavours. I should be doing injustice to my own feelings were I to neglect to express my admiration of the cheerful enthusiasm which the convicts employed in the building displayed throughout the work; as an instance of this, I may mention that after they had been labouring from six o'clock on Saturday morning until ten at night, seeing that a few more hours of work would complete the roofing in, they entreated permission to finish it before they left off; but as it would have broken in upon the Sabbath morning, their request was very properly refused: this is only one of several such instances of their disinterested zeal in the cause, for, from their unfortunate situation, they could not derive any benefit from their additional labour, and must have, on the occasion above mentioned, suffered much fatigue from their unusually prolonged exertions.
By these means we were enabled to begin the observations at this station some months earlier than we could have done under ordinary circumstances, and much sooner than I could have possibly anticipated. The ships' portable observatories had also been put up at convenient distances from the permanent observatory; and by the aid of some volunteer assistants we obtained a very complete and satisfactory series of observations throughout the 27th and 28th of August, with two sets of magnetometers, in which the three instruments of each were simultaneously recorded at every interval of two and a half minutes throughout the twenty-four hours.
The great advantage of obtaining the readings of all three instruments at each interval over the method proposed in the instructions with which I was furnished, and pursued by many of the foreign observatories, in which only one of the instruments was noted at each interval, was so manifest on looking over the series, that I resolved to continue this method throughout the remainder of our voyage; it was subsequently adopted at my earnest recommendation at the observatories of St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, and Toronto, and by all those established by the liberality of the Russian government throughout its extensive dominions.
As soon as the August term-day observations were obtained, the instruments belonging to the permanent observatory were removed to allow the fitting up of the interior of the building, and to line it throughout, in order to prevent as much as possible great changes of temperature. The building, which is forty-eight long by sixteen broad, is entirely of wood, and care was taken that not the smallest particle of metal of any kind was used in its construction, the whole of the fastenings being of wooden pegs. The instruments are placed on pillars of sandstone, fixed in the solid rock, of the same formation, and defended from any influence the heat of the body of the observer might have upon them by the intervention a closely-fitted deal partition; the observer reading off the instrument by means of a telescope also fixed on a smaller pillar of the same kind, through a small aperture in the wooden partition several feet distant from the instrument.
In the astronomical observatory the transit instrument was properly adjusted, the clocks fixed in their places, and observations with the invariable pendulums for determining the figure of the earth commenced by myself; Commander Crozier having under his more immediate superintendence the magnetometric observations, which were now continued uninterruptedly every hour throughout the day and night, and afforded full occupation to all the officers of the Expedition who had not other duties to perform.
These several buildings were all included within the boundary palings of the government grounds, and formed a pretty-looking little village; and here, without interruption or annoyance, the gratifying and unceasing round of observations proceeded most comfortably and satisfactorily. The results of these operations are already in part published in "The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society," and the remainder are in course of publication, at the expense of government, under the superintendence of Lieutenant-Colonel Sabine, of the Royal Artillery.
The most interesting news that awaited us on our arrival at Van Diemen's Land related to the discoveries made, during the last summer, in the southern regions by the French expedition, consisting of the Astrolabe and Zelée, under the command of Captain Dumont D'Urville, and by the United States expedition, under Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, in the frigate Vincennes.
The accounts published, by the authority of Captain D'Urville, in the local papers stated, that the French ships sailed from Hobart-town on the 1st of January, 1840, and discovered land on the evening of the 19th; on the 21st some of the officers landed upon a small islet lying some distance from the main land, and procured some specimens of its granitic rock. D'Urville traced the land in a continuous line one hundred and fifty miles, between the longitudes of 136° and 142° east, in about the latitude of the antarctic circle. It was entirely covered with snow, and there was not the least appearance of vegetation: its general height was estimated at about one thousand three hundred feet. M. D'Urville named it "Terre Adélie." Proceeding to the westward, they discovered and sailed about sixty miles along a solid wall of ice one hundred and fifty feet high, which he, believing to be a covering or crust of a more solid base, named "Côte Clairée." It must have been extremely painful to the enterprising spirit of D'Urville to be obliged to relinquish a more extended exploration of this newly-discovered land; but the weakly condition of his crews imperatively demanded of him to discontinue their laborious exertions, and return to a milder climate to restore the health of his enfeebled people, upon finding that the western part of the Côte Clairée turned away suddenly to the southward. He accordingly bore away on the 1st of February, and reached Hobart-town on the 17th of the same month, after an absence of only seven weeks. Although the western point of Côte Clairée had been seen by Balleny in the preceding summer, it was mistaken by him for an enormous iceberg, and the land he at first imagined he saw behind it he afterwards thought might only be clouds. These circumstances are mentioned in the log-book of the Eliza Scott, but are not inserted here with the least intention of disputing the unquestionable right of the French to the honour of this very important discovery.
The result of the American expedition was, in compliance with the instructions of the government, kept profoundly secret on their return to Sydney, and nothing appeared in the local papers respecting their extensive operations but uncertain conjectures and contradictory statements. I felt therefore the more indebted to the kind and generous consideration of Lieutenant Wilkes, the distinguished commander of the expedition, for a long letter on various subjects, which his experience had suggested as likely to prove serviceable to me, under the impression that I should still attempt to penetrate to the southward on some of the meridians he had visited; a tracing of his original chart accompanied his letter, showing the great extent of his discoveries, pointing out to me those parts of the coast which he thought we should find most easily accessible. These documents would, indeed, have proved of infinite value to me, had I felt myself compelled to follow the strict letter of my instructions; and I do not the less appreciate the motives which prompted the communication of those papers, because they did not eventually prove so useful to me as the American commander had hoped and expected: and I avail myself of this opportunity of publicly expressing the deep sense of thankfulness I feel to him for his friendly and highly honourable conduct.
The arduous and persevering exertions of this expedition, continued throughout a period of more than six weeks, under circumstances of great peril and hardship, cannot fail to reflect the highest credit on those engaged in the enterprise, and excite the admiration of all who are in the smallest degree acquainted with the laborious and difficult nature of an icy navigation: but I am grieved to be obliged to add, that at the present time they do not seem to have received either the approbation or reward their spirited exertions merit. The narrative of their comprehensive labours is now in the hands of the public: I need, therefore, make no further remark here on the subject; but as I shall have occasion hereafter to refer to the documents I received from Lieutenant Wilkes, they are printed in the Appendix.
That the commanders of each of these great national undertakings should have selected the very place for penetrating to the southward, for the exploration of which they were well aware, at the time, that the expedition under my command was expressly preparing, and thereby forestalling our purposes, did certainly greatly surprise me. I should have expected their national pride would have caused them rather to have chosen any other path in the wide field before them, than one thus pointed out, if no higher consideration had power to prevent such an interference.
They had, however, the unquestionable right to select any point they thought proper, at which to direct their efforts, without considering the embarrassing situation in which their conduct might have placed me. Fortunately, in my instructions, much had been left to my judgment under unforeseen circumstances; and impressed with the feeling that England had ever led the way of discovery in the southern as well as in the northern regions, I considered it would have been inconsistent with the pre-eminence she has ever maintained, if we were to follow in the footsteps of the expedition of any other nation. I therefore resolved at once to avoid all interference with their discoveries, and selected a much more easterly meridian (170° E.), on which to endeavour to penetrate to the southward, and if possible reach the magnetic pole.
My chief reason for choosing this particular meridian in preference to any other was, its being that upon which Balleny had in the summer of 1839, attained to the latitude of sixty-nine degrees, and there found an open sea; and not, as has been asserted, that I was deterred from any apprehension of an equally unsuccessful issue to any attempt we might make where the Americans and French had so signally failed to get beyond even the sixty-seventh degree of latitude. For I was well aware how ill-adapted their ships were for a service of that nature; from not being fortified to withstand the shocks and pressure they must have been necessarily exposed to had they ventured to penetrate any extensive body of ice, they would have equally failed had they tried it upon the meridian I had now chosen, for it will be seen we met with a broad belt of ice, upwards of two hundred miles across, which would have been immediate destruction to them to have encountered; but which, in our fortified vessels, we could confidently run into, and push our way through into the open sea beyond; without such means it would be utterly impossible for any one, under such circumstances, however bold or persevering, to attain a high southern latitude.
The colony of Van Diemen's Land was in a most flourishing condition at the time of our visit; although, in common with all the other Australasian settlements, it afterwards suffered severely from the ruinous system of over-trading, but not to any thing like the same extent. Under the wise and judicious government of Sir John Franklin the revenue of the colony had so greatly increased, that although involved deeply in debt when he arrived in the country, by prudent and well-arranged measures, the debt had been liquidated, and a superabundant income produced. A great amount of statistical information which I collected during our stay at Hobart-town, by the kind permission of Sir John Franklin, from Mr. Forster, acting as colonial secretary, during the temporary absence of Mr. Montague, and Mr. Henslowe, the governor's private secretary, being now but of little general interest, from much later information on the various subjects having already been published (showing a far less prosperous state of affairs, owing to the sad mismanagement of our colonial legislators in England); but more especially because of the admirable work lately published by Count Strzelecki, whose opportunities of traversing the country, and by whose fidelity and ability a far better account has been laid before the public than I could give, I consider it unnecessary for me to enter at all upon the subject of the present condition of the colony.
Constant occupation at the observatory prevented my seeing much of the interior of this most interesting and valuable country; two short excursions only, which I made with Sir John Franklin after the pendulum observations were completed, served to confirm all I had heard of its great resources; and to prove to me that, unlike the more northern colonies of these regions, its climate has not the effect of deteriorating the British character or constitution of the rising generation.
The society of Hobart-town is most perfectly English, and therefore most agreeable to visitors from the mother country.. The houses even of the wealthier colonists are smaller and more unpretending in appearance than those of persons of more limited means in England; but there is no want of the characteristic substantial comforts of an English residence bordering often on elegance and luxury: whilst the true open-hearted hospitality we experienced during our prolonged residence amongst them was the best proof to us that this precious peculiarity of our country thrived as vigorously here as in any part of the British empire; and the pleasing remembrances of the many happy hours we passed amongst them will long be cherished by us with deep emotions of gratitude and warmest sentiments of regard. To Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott, and the officers of the 51st Regiment, we were all greatly indebted for their kind hospitality, and the friendship which grew up between the officers of the regiment and those of our ships will long continue amongst the more pleasurable recollections of our voyage. The constant, frank, and cordial intercourse between the barracks and the vessels proved a gratifying kind of united service amalgamation, now so happily manifested, under all circumstances, between the army and navy.
There is one serious evil, however, which I cannot forbear adverting to, but too evident in every house you enter, and which will require prompt and immediate attention to prevent its baneful effects extending more widely and permanently,—I mean the want of sufficient means of education for the rising generation. It was quite distressing to witness the contrast between the English educated parents and their grown-up children, whose manners and ideas seemed barely equal to those of the lower uneducated order of society at home.
This evil the worthy governor had set his heart upon remedying, and had made great exertions to obtain from the home government a charter for a college to be formed on a liberal scale; the legislative council of the colony also went so far as to vote a sum of 2500l. for the purpose. At the recommendation of the late Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, the Rev. J.P. Gell was sent from England to organise such an institution as should meet the wants of the people. After much deliberation, a site for the building was chosen on part of the government land at New Norfolk; and on the 7th November, 1840, the foundation-stone was laid with great ceremony by Sir John Franklin, in the presence of the members of the executive and legislative councils, and a large assemblage of the inhabitants of the district; but thus it remains, I believe, to this day, through the opposition and intrigues of the defeated but influential parties, whose interests required that it should be built in Hobart-town, whilst the claims of the different religious denominations of all classes of Christians to have a voice in its councils, occasioned such violent disputes that the colonial office at home abandoned the measure; and thus the benevolent intentions of the governor have been, for the present, frustrated.
But just at this time the Bishop of Tasmania has resumed the endeavour with great earnestness, and is making strenuous efforts to have formed a "collegiate body possessing property (by royal charter, when it can be obtained, till then a trust), to be the source of education to the colonists, in the principles of the Church of Christ, and in all useful knowledge," by means of private subscription; and the Venerable Archdeacon Marriott, of Hobart-town, is in England for the purpose of carrying the views of the bishop into effect upon this as well as some other points connected with the welfare of the church in Tasmania.
It is calculated that 5000l., raised in England, may, together with landed and other endowments in the colony, produce such an annual income as will enable the bishop to proceed at once to organise the college: as the payments of the pupils will supply what may further be needed for obtaining the lease of suitable premises, for the general expenses of the institution, and for the accumulation of a fund for the erection of college buildings at a future time.
The bishop will, with the advice and assistance of proper persons in the colony, "hereafter to be named, invest the funds, and the property will be held in trust for the college, and made over to it in the event of its being incorporated; and from the yearly income provision will be made for the warden and fellows, and for scholarships, exhibitions, and other expenses."
We cannot doubt that a design so calculated to promote the well-being of the church in that colony, and to extend the blessings of a sound religious education to a population of sixty thousand souls, so greatly requiring it, will meet with ready support and assistance from the mother country. Sir John Franklin, the late Lieutenant-Governor, has manifested his undiminished interest in the welfare of those over whom he for several years presided (and during whose period of government so much moral benefit was diffused through the society of the place as to secure for him the lasting gratitude and attachment of all right-minded people), by a donation of five hundred pounds; and his amiable lady, on leaving that country, made over four hundred acres of land which she had purchased in the neighbourhood of Hobart-town, with an elegant museum she had built upon it, to trustees for the benefit of any collegiate institution which might be founded with the approbation of the bishop of the diocese. These acts of munificence we may hope will be followed by the charitable and wealthy; and by thus furnishing an adequate means of religious instruction and general education, afford the most efficient means of counteracting the existing evil, which however can only be rendered effectual by the persevering efforts of good and pious men, and by the blessing of Almighty God on their labours.
The completion of Rossbank observatory proceeded satisfactorily, and long before the second term-day arrived the magnetometers were replaced, so that again on the 23d of September we had two complete sets of instruments observed at the same place, forming a most perfect comparison between them.
To effect this desirable object we had again to avail ourselves of the aid of volunteers under Sir John Franklin, who, in his zeal for the advancement of science, took his share of the duties of that day, which, as on the previous occasion, amounted to twelve of the twenty-four hours' observations, at intervals of two and a half minutes. The observations in the ships' observatory were made by Captain Crozier, the officers of both ships, and myself: those in the permanent observatory by his Excellency, and the following gentlemen, who had devoted some time to acquire accuracy in reading off the instruments,—Rev. John Philip Gell, M.A., Trin. Coll., Cambridge; Rev. Dr. Turnbull, Mr. Henslowe, Lieut. Bagot, A.D.C. 51st; Mr. Cracroft, Mr. Nairne, Lieut. Kay, of the Terror, and two mates. I had thus the satisfaction of witnessing the effectual working of the observatory on those days on the enlarged plan of observation I contemplated, and which, by the unabated zeal of the volunteers, continued without interruption, on every succeeding term-day.
The regular hourly observations were next commenced by Lieutenant Kay, whom I had selected to conduct the magnetic and meteorological experiments at this important station, in co-operation with the numerous observatories established in different parts of the globe, and who had shown great diligence and application in making himself acquainted with the instruments to be employed in these investigations, and the various and delicate adjustments and corrections necessary to ensure accuracy; the result has most fully justified my confident expectations. Mr. Scott, mate of the Terror, and Mr. Dayman, of the Erebus, were appointed as his assistants, and a marine from each ship completed the establishment of the observatory.
In order that a more complete comparison might be instituted between the observations at Hobart-town and those to be made in more southern stations to be visited by the Expedition, the expanded system of observation we had hitherto used was to be continued by Lieutenant Kay; but as these periods of exact comparison occurred so seldom, and seemed to me scarcely sufficient to detect many of the curious phenomena that might be expected to present themselves on more frequent comparisons of even shorter intervals, I considered it advisable to arrange that one additional hour of continued observation should be made every night; and the time selected for this purpose was that most favourable for seeing the aurora, which has been known to exercise so powerful an influence on the magnetometers, and most suited for watching its several phases. I especially directed the attention of Lieutenant Kay and his assistants, during our absence, to notice the frequency, direction, form, altitude, and all the changes in the appearance of auroræ, as they would also have formed, had we been so fortunate as to have found a place in which to pass a winter in the Antarctic regions, circumstances of corresponding and continual observation, and perhaps serve to account for many irregularities that might appear in the summer observations in those latitudes, where the continual presence of the sun would prevent the detection of the aurora. Although, unfortunately, we had no opportunity of making any corresponding observations in high southern latitudes, those additional hours of labour to Lieutenant Kay's party have not been in vain, for by the ready zeal evinced by Mr. Caldcott, the superintendent of the magnetic observatory at Trevandrum, simultaneous observations were made at that place, and their comparison will, I have no doubt, afford very valuable results.
In addition to the magnetometric and meteorological instruments, some others were supplied to Lieut. Kay for astronomical purposes; and before we left Hobart-town arrangements were made for the erection of a more suitable and comfortable building for the party to reside in, and at a convenient distance from the observatory. The observatory was named Rossbank by His Excellency Sir John Franklin. It is in lat. 42° 52′ 27.4″, long. 147° 27′ 30″; and is situated one hundred and five feet above the level of the sea at mean tide. The mean magnetic dip, 70° 40′ S. and the variation (in May, 1841), 10° 24′ 24″ E.
As the proper season for our southern voyage drew near, the ships were made ready for sea. All defects had been repaired, and when we bent sails we had the great happiness to feel assured that our ships and crew were even more effective than the day we sailed from England. We had to lament the loss of one of our best men, Edward Bradley, on the 24th of October, by an accident; and, before our departure, were under the necessity of invaliding Mr. Molloy, mate of the Terror, whose constitution was considered unequal to the hardships and severity of climate he would have been exposed to, and whose present state of health rendered his return to England necessary. On the 5th of November the ships were dressed with flags, and a salute fired on the occasion of His Excellency Sir John Franklin laying the foundationstone of the new Government House, within sight of the vessels. The want of a building suitable to the advanced importance of the colony, and the comfort and dignity of the Governor, had long been felt and acknowledged.