Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/265

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Chap. VII.]
BESET IN THE PACK.
179
1841

ing a strong gale in the open sea to the northward; the clouds drifted swiftly over our heads, and thick showers of snow fell, but we had, at intervals, an extensive view from the crow's nest, which enabled us to pursue our southerly course with confidence, though under diminished sail, throughout the night.

Jan. 6.Early the next morning the ice became much closer, compelling a more varying course, and greatly retarding our progress; a strongly marked "water-sky," which was seen to the south-eastward, raised our hopes of being able to reach an open sea at no great distance, and all our means were employed to force the ships onward through the ice in that direction; but early in the afternoon we found it so close as to baffle all our exertions, and we were obliged to heave to in a small hole of water, out of which we could find no way to the southward, and wait until the ice opened.

We saw great numbers of penguins of a different species from those we had met with at Kerguelen and Auckland Islands, and a boat being sent in pursuit of them, several were procured and added to our collection.

Commander Crozier came on board in the evening, and we had the satisfaction to hear that all on board the Terror were in the same good health and spirits as we were, not an individual being on the sick list of either ship. One of his boat's crew fell overboard, and although quite unable to swim, he floated on the surface without an effort until picked