| February
16th, within the Antarctic Circle, Latitude 66°39' S., off the
great Ice barrier, & surrounded by icebergs
We left Heard's island on the 7th for the south, with a good breeze,
which increased to a regular gale during the night; the ship was
knocked about any how by the tremendous seas, 2 of the main deck
ports were stove in & men knocked out of their hammocks by the
sea, the Carpenters were up all the night repairing the damage.
It was considered the worst gale we have yet had, tho' not so dangerous
as the one in the Channel....We ran 214 miles during the gale, with
storm staysails only, the best part of the time, the gale moderated
on the8th Sunday, & we were in the Latitude of Cape Horn.
On the 9th we were out of the track of navigation
being in Lat 58°S & on the 10th we were in Lat. 60°15'
S. & no icebergs in sight. The Thermometer stood at 33 1/2 in
the shade, & the temperature of the surface water was exactly
the same. On the 11th at 4AM the first iceberg hove in sight, &
we lay to, close to it, & hove the Trawl. This iceberg was about
a mile in length, & 400 ft high, it was quite square & the
summit was covered in snow...We found the depth 1,275 faths.; the
surface water was 33 1/2, only half a degree above freezing point
for fresh water, & from this depth we brought up living specimens,
the best being a large Prawn, & a curious sharp snouted fish
about a foot long & of a sort hitherto unknown.
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