Continent. That continent is laid down as South Victoria Land, from latitude 64° to 79° south, and from longitude 162° to 97° east. This long line of coast includes not only our fifteen hundred miles of the Antarctic Continent, but also the one hundred and fifty miles of coast discovered by D’Urville, the French navigator. These lands are named Victoria Land, Mt. Erebus, Mt. Terror, Mt. Sabine, North Cape, Terre Adélie, Cotta Clara Land, and Enderby Land.
All of the above are, no doubt, detached portions of the Antarctic Continent, which were discovered from three of our vessels on the 16th of January, 1840. The land was frequently in sight in fair weather, while we cruised along its shores for fifteen hundred miles. We occasionally obtained soundings from twenty-five to eight hundred fathoms, the arming being covered in places with black sand, dead coral, clay, and gravel. Commodore Wilkes very appropriately named the land discovered the Antarctic Continent. Our discovery was also confirmed by Lieutenant Moore in 1845.
