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CHAPTER VIII.
Again a southerly breeze came on at 4 a.m.; 1841.
Jan. 22we continued beating to windward under all sail, and thus regained some of the lost ground; but at noon we were still four miles to the northward of our yesterday's latitude. As the breeze freshened and the motion of the ship increased, the compasses became very uncertain in their indications; but the weather was beautifully clear, the sun shining in great splendour; and although the barometer was already above the mean pressure of the atmosphere of these latitudes, it continued to rise (the second instance of the kind we have observed) as the wind increased to a moderate gale about midnight, which prevailed the whole of the next day, accompanied by sharp squalls and continuous showers of snow. By our reckoning we made some southing, being at noon in lat. 74° 20′ S.; and by 7 p.m., having good grounds for believing that we had reached a higher southern latitude than that attained by our enterprising countryman, the late Captain James Weddell, and therefore beyond all our predecessors, an extra allowance of grog was issued to our very deserving crews; and, being Saturday night, the seaman's favourite toast of "Sweethearts and wives" was not forgotten in the general rejoicing on the occasion.
