and disappeared on reaching an altitude of 70°, the lustre of the larger stars was much dimmed as it passed over them, but they could be distinctly seen through it; some of the smaller stars were totally obscured by the brighter and denser portions of the Aurora; this splendid display was, as usual, followed by a fall of snow, and bright diffused auroral light illumined the edges of the clouds from which the snow fell.
March 24.Still running to the north-west to increase the westerly variation, we were unfortunate in not obtaining observations; throughout the day it blew a strong gale of wind from the eastward, with thick falling snow, so that we could seldom see a distance of half a mile before us, and most providentially we did not meet with any bergs. The barometer fell rapidly, and at 10 p.m. stood at 28.33 inches; the gale at that time had considerably abated, and the wind shifted to the north; the snow had given place to a thin mist, slightly lighted up by the Aurora, which only occasionally peeped through in obscure patches, but afforded us as much light as would the moon at quadrature, and which was to us of great advantage.
March 25.At 4 a.m. two icebergs were seen directly ahead of us, but fortunately we had time to avoid them; three others were seen soon afterwards, when the weather was clearer: being becalmed at noon, in lat. 60° 22′ S., long. 131° 28′ E., we tried for soundings with six hundred fathoms: the temperature as indi-