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Chapter V.
Terra Del Fuego—Southern Cruise.

Orange harbour is on the western side of Nassau Bay, separated and protected from it by Burnt Island. It is nearly land-locked, and is the safest harbour on the coast. The hills on each side, after several undulations, rise into conical peaks, and the naked rock is everywhere broken into a jagged outline, with no creeping plants to soften or take off its harshness. Everything has a bleak and wintry appearance, and is in excellent keeping with the climate; yet the scenery about it is pleasing to the eye, bounded on all sides by undulating hills, which are covered with evergreen foliage. Distant mountains, some of which are capped with snow, shooting up in a variety of forms, seen beyond the extensive bays, form a fine background. From the vessels, the hills look like smooth downs, and if it were not for the inclemency and fitfulness of the weather, they might be contemplated with some pleasure.

The hills are covered with dense forests of beech, birch, willow, and winter-bark. Some of the former trees are forty or fifty feet high, having all their tops bent to the northeast by the prevailing southwest winds. They are remarkably even as to height, having more the look, at a distance, of heath than of forest-trees.

The whole coast has the appearance of being of recent volcanic rocks, but all our investigations tended to prove the contrary. We nowhere found any cellular lava, pumice, or obsidian, nor was there any granite or other primitive rock seen. The rock was trachytic, or of trap formation, apparently having undergone more or less action by fire.

Immediately on our arrival at Orange Harbour, active preparations were made for a short cruise to the Antarctic.

Agreeably to my instructions, such disposition was made of the squadron as seemed best calculated to obtain the necessary results in the different departments. Captain Hudson, with the Peacock page 43and the Flying-Fish, under Lieutenant Walker, as a tender, were ordered to the westward, as far as the No Plus Ultra of Cook. I went in the Porpoise, Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, accompanied by the Sea-Gull, Lieutenant Johnson, to pass to the south, for the purpose, if possible, of exploring the south-east side of Palmer's Land, or, should an opportunity offer, of proceeding further south. The Relief, Lieutenant-Commandant Long, was ordered into the Straits of Magellan, through the Brecknock Passage and Cockburn's Sound, with part of the gentlemen of the scientific corps in order to enlarge our field of operations. Mr. Peale volunteered to go south in the Peacock.

The Vincennea was safely moored in Orange Harbour, and left under the charge of Lieutenant Craven, to carry on the investigations, surveys, &c. &c., Messrs. Couthouy and Drayton, of the scientific corps, remained in the Vincennes. Lieutenant Carr was put in charge of the observatory.

The vessels were well supplied with fuel, provisions, and various anti-scorbutics, for ten months. A spot for the observatory was fixed upon, and orders left for the duties to be performed during the absence of the squadron.

Before our departure from Orange Harbour, a bark canoe came alongside with an Indian, his squaw, and four children. The tribe to which they belonged is known by the name of the Petcherai Indians. They were entirely naked, with the exception of a small piece of seal-skin, only sufficient to cover one shoulder, and which is generally worn on the side from which the wind blows, affording them some little shelter against its piercing influence.

They were not more than five feet high, of a light copper-colour, which is much concealed by smut and dirt, particularly on their faces, which they mark vertically with charcoal. They have short faces, narrow foreheads, and high cheek-bones. Their eyes are small and usually black, the upper eyelids in the inner corner overlapping the under one, and bear a strong resemblance to those of the Chinese. Their nose is broad and flat, with wide spread nostrils, mouth large, teeth white, large, and regular. The hair is long, lank, and black, hanging over the face, and is covered with white ashes, which gives them a hideous appearance. The whole face is compressed. Their bodies are remarkable from the great development of the chest, shoulders, and vertebral column; their arms are long, and out of proportion; their legs small, and ill-made. There is, in fact, little difference between the size of the ankle and leg; and, when standing, the skin at the knee hangs in a large, loose fold. In some, the muscles of the leg appear almost wanting, and possess very little strength. This want of development in the muscles of the legs, is owing to their constant sitting posture, both in their huts and canoes. Their skin is sensibly colder than ours. It is impossible to fancy anything in human nature more filthy. They are an ill-shapen and ugly race. They have little or no idea of the relative value of articles, even of those that one would suppose were of the utmost use to them, such as iron and glass-ware. A glass bottle broken into pieces, is valued as much as a knife. Red flannel, torn page 44into stripes, pleases them more than in the piece; they wound it around their heads, as a kind of turban, and it was amusing to see their satisfaction at this small acquisition.

The children were quite small, and nestled in the bottom of the canoe on some dry grass. The woman and eldest boy paddled the canoe, the man being employed to bale out the water and attend to the fire, which is always carried in the bottom of the canoe, on a few stones and ashes, which the water surrounds.

Their canoes are constructed of bark, are very frail, and sewed with shreds of whalebone, seal-skin, and twigs. They are sharp at both ends, and are kept in shape, as well as strengthened, by a number of stretchers lashed to the gunwale.

These Indians seldom venture outside the kelp, by the aid of which they pull themselves along; and their paddles are so small as to be of little use in propelling their canoes, unless it is calm.

Their huts are generally found built close to the shore, at the head of some small bay, in a secluded spot, and sheltered from the prevailing winds. They are built of boughs or small trees, stuck in the earth, and brought together at the top, where they are firmly bound by bark, sedge, and twigs. Smaller branches are then interlaced, forming a tolerably compact wicker-work, and on this, grass, turf, and bark are laid, making the hut quite warm, and impervious to the wind and snow, though not quite so to the rain. The usual dimensions of these huts are seven or eight feet in diameter, and about four or five feet in height. They have an oval hole to creep in at. The fire is built in a small excavation in the middle of the hut. The floor is of clay, which has the appearance of having been well kneaded. The usual accompaniment of a hut is a conical pile of mussel and limpet shells opposite the door, nearly as large as the hut itself.

These natives are never seen but in their huts or canoes. The impediments to their communication by land are great, growing out of the mountainous and rocky character of the country, intersected with inlets deep and impassable, and in most places bounded by abrupt precipices, together with a soil which may be termed a quagmire, on which it is difficult to walk. This prevails on the hills as well as in the plains and valleys. The impenetrable nature of the forest, with the dense undergrowth of thorny bushes, renders it impossible for them to overcome or contend with these difficulties. They appear to live in families, and not in tribes, and do not seem to acknowledge any chief.

On the 11th of March three bark canoes arrived, containing four men, four women, and a girl about sixteen years old, four little boys, and four infants, one of the latter about a week old, and quite naked. The thermometer was at 46° Fahrenheit. They had rude weapons, viz., slings to throw stones, three rude spears, pointed at the end with bone, and notched on one side with barbed teeth. With this they catch their fish, which are in great quantities among the kelp. Two of the natives were induced to come on board, after they had been alongside for upwards of an hour, and received many presents, for which they gave their spears, a dog, and some of their rude page 45native trinkets. They did not show or express surprise at anything on board, except when seeing one of the carpenters engaged in boring a hole with a screw-auger through a plank, which would have been a long task for them. They were very talkative, smiling when spoken to, and often bursting into loud laughter, but instantly settling into their natural serious and sober cast.

They were found to be great mimics, both in gesture and sound, and would repeat any word of our language with great correctness of pronunciation. Their imitations of sounds were truly astonishing. One of them ascended and descended the octave perfectly, following the sounds of the violin correctly. It was then found he could sound the common chords, and follow through the semitone scale, with scarcely an error. They have all musical voices, speak in the note G sharp, ending with the semitone A, when asking for presents, and were continually singing.

Their mimicry became at length annoying, and precluded our getting at any of their words or ideas. It not only extended to words or sounds, but actions also, and was at times truly ridiculous. The usual manner of interrogating for names was quite unsuccessful. On pointing to the nose, for instance, they did the same. Anything they saw done they would mimic, and with an extraordinary degree of accuracy. On these canoes approaching the ship, the principal one of the family, or chief, standing up in his canoe, made a harangue. Although they have been heard to shout quite loud, yet they cannot endure a noise; and when the drum beat, or a gun was fired, they invariably stopped their ears. They always speak to each other in a whisper. The men are exceedingly jealous of their women, and will not allow anyone, if they can help it, to enter their huts, particularly boys.

The women were never suffered to come on board. They appeared modest in the presence of strangers. They never move from a sitting posture, or rather a squat, with their knees close together, reaching to their chin, their feet in contact, and touching the lower part of the body. They are extremely ugly. Their hands and feet were small and well-shaped, and from appearance they are not accustomed to do any hard work. They appear very fond, and seem careful of their young children, though on several occasions they offered them for sale for a trifle. They have their faces smutted all over, and it was thought, from the hideous appearance of the females, produced in part by their being painted and smutted, that they had been disfigured by the men previous to coming alongside. It was remarked that when one of them saw herself in a looking-glass, she burst into tears, as Jack thought, from pure mortification.

The men are employed in building the huts, obtaining food, and providing for their other wants. The women were generally seen paddling their canoes.

When this party of natives left the ship and reached the shore, the women remained in their canoes, and the men began building their temporary huts; the little children were seen capering quite naked on the beach, although the thermometer was at 40°. On the hut being finished, which occupied about an hour, the women went page 46on shore to take possession of it. They all seemed quite happy and contented.

Before they left the ship, the greater part of them were dressed in old clothes, that had been given to them by the officers and men, who all showed themselves extremely anxious "to make them comfortable." This gave rise to much merriment, as Jack was not disposed to allow any difficulties to interfere in the fitting. If the jackets proved too tight across the shoulder, which they invariably were, a slit down the back effectually remedied the defect. If a pair of trowsers was found too small round the waist, the knife was again resorted to, and in some cases a fit was made by severing the legs. The most difficult fit, and the one which produced the most merriment, was that of a woman, to whom an old coat was given This she concluded belonged to her nether limbs, and no signs hints, or shouts, could correct her mistake. Her feet were thrust through the sleeves, and after hard squeezing she succeeded in drawing them on. With the skirts brought up in front she took her seat in the canoe with great satisfaction, amid a roar of laughter from all who saw her.

Their mode of expressing friendship is by jumping up and down.

Their food consists of limpets, mussels, and other shell-fish. Quantities of fish, and some seals, are now and then taken among the kelp, and with berries of various kinds, and wild celery, they do not want. They seldom cook their food much. The shell-fish are detached from the shell by heat, and the fish are partly roasted in their skins, without being cleaned.

When on board, one of them was induced to sit at the dinner table; after a few lessons, he handled his knife and fork with much dexterity. He refused both spirits and wine, but was very fond of sweetened water. Salt provisions were not at all to his liking, but rice and plum-pudding were agreeable to his taste, and he literally crammed them into his mouth. After his appetite had been satisfied, he was in great good humour, singing his "Hey meh leh," dancing and laughing. His mimicry prevented any satisfactory inquiries being made of him relative to a vocabulary.

Some of the officers painted the faces of these natives black, white, and red: this delighted them very much; and it was quite amusing to see the grimaces made by them before a looking-glass.

One of these natives remained on board for upwards of a week, and being washed and combed, he became two or three shades lighter in colour. Clothes were put on him. He was about twenty-three years of age. His astonishment was very great on attending divine service. The moment the chaplain began to read from the book, his eyes were riveted upon him, where they remained as long as he continued to read. At the end of the week he became dissatisfied, and was set on shore, and soon appeared naked again.

They are much addicted to theft, if any opportunity offers.

Although we had no absolute proof of it, we are inclined to the belief that they bury their dead in caves.

At Orange Harbour there is a black-coloured moss that covers the ground in places, giving it the appearance of having been page 47burned. Many small ponds are met with, as though the peat had been dug up from the place, and the holes filled with water. There is great plenty of scurvy-grass and wild celery close to the beach.

On the 25th of February, 1839, having completed the arrangements for the southern cruise, the signal was ordered to be made for the vessels to get under way, when I joined the Porpoise. Very many of my crew were desirous of following me, and expressed regrets and disappointment that the Vincennes was not going south. All I could do, was to promise them enough of antarctic cruising the next year, and I believe they are now all satisfied that I kept my word. About seven, a.m. we left the harbour, with a light breeze from the north, having the Sea-Gull, of which vessel Lieutenant Johnson was in charge, in company. On passing the other vessels of the squadron, we received three hearty cheers, which were duly returned.

At the mouth of the harbour, Captain Hudson and the few officers who had accompanied us, took their leave. I must own at that moment I felt greatly depressed, for I was well aware that we had many, very many dangers to encounter before meeting again. But there is a feeling produced by the kind of service on which we were engaged, that gives a stout heart, braces it for meeting almost every emergency that may happen, and causes one to look forward with hope to overcome the difficulties that may lie in the path. After a short time, we saw the Peacock and Flying-Fish under sail, following us.

The wind continued light, with fine weather, until the afternoon. The whole scenery around us was viewed to great advantage, under a mild state of the atmosphere, taking away from it the usual gloomy aspect which a sky, overcast and boisterous, gives. A dense bank of cumuli in the southwest foretold that we were not long to engoy such moderate weather. About four, p.m., a heavy squall struck us, which soon took us clear of the islands, on our course to the southward.

On the 26th we discovered a sail, which proved to be the whale-ship America, from New Zealand, bound to New York, and afforded us an opportunity of writing home, which we gladly availed ourselves of.

After delivering our letters, we bore away to the southeast, the wind inclining to the northwest, and blowing heavy, with a light and remarkably regular sea following. This afforded me an opportunity I had long desired, for making observations to determine the height of the waves, together with their width and velocity. It is obviously very difficult to do this with correctness. I shall therefore state the means which I adopted, in order that it may be perceived what reliance is to be placed on the results.

The Porpoise was directly ahead of the Sea-Gull, and but two waves apart; the rate of sailing was about eight knots an hour, both vessels being apparently very steady. In heaving the log, I found that the chip, in drawing in the line, was, when on the top of the next wave astern, distant by line three hundred and eighty feet, equal to one-sixteenth of a mile, and the schooner being on the next page 48wave, was twice the distance, or one-eighth of a mile. The time occupied for a wave to pass from the schooner to the brig was thirteen seconds, taking the mean of many trials, from which none varied more than a second and a half. This gave about twenty-sis and a half miles in an hour for their apparent progressive motion. In order to get their height, I took the opportunity when the schooner was in the trough of the sea, and my eye on board the Porpoise in the horizon, to observe where it cut the mast.

This gave me thirty-two feet. The waves ran higher and more regular on this occasion than I have seen them at any other time during the cruise.

We had many albatrosses hovering about, and at times, resting, as it were, immovable in the storm, some gray petrels, and Cape, pigeons in numbers. The weather becoming thick, and the temperature of the water having fallen to 32°, I deemed it prudent to heave-to during the darkness.

At daylight on the 1st of March we had snow in flurries, and the first ice-islands were made. They excited much curiosity, and appeared to have been a good deal worn, as though the sea had been washing over them for some time. They were of small size in comparison with those we afterwards saw, but, being unused to the sight, we thought them magnificent. At noon we made land, which proved to be Ridley's Island. It was high, broken, and rugged, with the top covered with snow. The rocks had a basaltic appearance, and many were detached from the main body of the island, with numerous high pinnacles, very much worn by the sea. The surf was too great to attempt a landing for the purpose of procuring specimens. As we closed m with the land, we lowered a boat and tried the current, which was found setting to the north-northwest, two fathoms per hour.

At six p. m. we had several ice islands in sight, Cape Melville bearing south by east. We now had light winds from the south-south-west.

The north foreland of King George's Island was in sight, and found to be well placed on the charts. The appearance of all this land is volcanic; it is from eight hundred to one thousand feet high. The upper part is covered, and the valleys filled with snow of great depth. Before night we had several other islands in sight, with many bergs, and much drift-ice.

On the 2nd, at daylight, we made O'Brien's and Aspland's Islands to the eastward, with many ice-islands, some of a tabular form, and from half a mile to a mile in length, Through the fog and mist we got a sight of Bridgeman's Island, and stood for it, with the intention of landing on it. The fog cleared off as we approached it, and we could perceive distinctly the smoke issuing from its sides.

This island is about six hundred feet high and of the shape of a flattened dome.

On the 3rd we filled away at daylight, and stood for Palmer's Land. The birds now had very much increased, Cape pigeons, with the gray and black petrel, and occasionally penguins, swimming about us in all directions, uttering their discordant screams: they page 49seemed astonished at encountering so unusual an object as a vessel in these frozen seas. At 6h. 30m. we made land, which I took to be Mount Hope, the eastern point of Palmer's Land. By eight, a m, we had penetrated among the numerous icebergs, until we found it impossible to go further. I have rarely seen a finer sight. The sea was literally studded with these beautiful masses, some of pure white, others showing all the shades of the opal, others emerald green, and occasionally here and there some of a deep black, forming a strong contrast to the pure white. Near to us, we diseovered three small islets, and gave them the name of the Adventure Islets; while beyond, and above all, rose two high mountains, one of which was Mount Hope.

The whole area was studded with icebergs, which it now became necessary to get clear of, if possible, before night set in.

It was a day of great excitement to all, for we had ice of all kinds and descriptions to encounter, from the iceberg of huge quadrangular shape, with its stratified appearance, to the sunken and deceptive mass, that it was difficult to perceive before it was under the bow. Our situation was critical, but the weather favoured us for a few hours. On clearing these dangers we kept off to the southward and westward, under all sail; and at eight, p m., we counted eighty large ice-islands in sight. Afterwards it became so thick with mist and fog, as to render it necessary to lay-to till daylight, before which time we had a heavy snow-storm. The temperature of the water had fallen to 29°; air 28°. At one hundred fathoms' depth we found the former 29°. A strong gale now set in from the southward and westward. The brig's deck was covered with ice and snow, and the weather became excessively damp and cold. The men were suffering, not only from want of sufficient room to accommodate the numbers in the vessel, but from the inadequacy of the clothing with which they had been supplied. Although purchased by the government at great expense, it was found to be entirely unworthy the service, and inferior in every way to the samples exhibited. This was the case with all the articles of this description that were provided for the expedition. Not having been able to satisfy myself as to whom the blame is to be attributed, contractors or inspectors, I hesitate to give their names publicity. The deception is, in my opinion, to be attributed to both.

On the 5th of March the gale had increased. The tender Sea-Gull being in close company, both vessels were in imminent danger. At three, a.m., we narrowly escaped several icebergs. At four, a m, it blew a very heavy gale from the south-west; the temperature of the air fell to 27°, and that of the water was 29°; the ice formed rapidly on the deck, and covered the rigging, so much as to render it difficult to work either the brig or schooner; dangers beset us in every direction, and it required all the watchfulness we were possessed of to avoid them.

From the state of the weather, the lateness of the season, and the difficulty of seeing around us, not only during the several hours of the night, but even in the day-time, the constant fogs and mist in page 50which we had been for several hours every day enveloped, rendered our exertions abortive, and precluded the possibility of doing anything more than to attend to the sailing of the vessels. These reasons determined me to give up the endeavour to proceed further south, feeling convinced that the season for such explorations had gone by. I therefore ordered the Sea-Gull to return to Orange Harbour, well knowing that her situation was much worse than our own; directing her to touch at Deception Island on the way, while we proceeded to the northward to examine some of the other islands.

When we bore away I had the intention of passing towards the assigned situation of the Aurora Isles, but I found the crew so much enfeebled by their constant exposure, whilst some of them were infected by incipient scurvy, that I concluded it was better to return to Orange Harbour as soon as possible.

We continued under easy sail, enveloped in fogs, and falling in repeatedly with icebergs close aboard, from which at times we escaped with difficulty.

On the 6th of March the wind shifted to the northward, with snow. On the 7th, while making all way to the northward, the fog lifted, and high land was reported within a short distance of us. A few moments more and we should have been wrecked. This proved to be Elephant Island. We found from its position that we had been set upwards of fifty miles to the eastward, in the last four days, by the current. We passed to leeward of it. The sea was too high to attempt a landing. In the afternoon it cleared, and from our observations we found Cape Belsham, its eastern point, well placed. We passed between it and Cornwallis Island. The Seal Bocks were also seen and observed upon.

We now stood to the northward, and on the 16th we were off the Straits of Le Maire, where I again tried the deep-sea temperature, with a wire sounding line, which parted at three hundred and forty fathoms, and we lost the apparatus. I then made a second experiment, with a line of rope four hundred fathoms in length. The temperature of the surface was 44°; of the water below, 37°. This was about sixty miles to the eastward of the place where I had sounded before, on the 15th of February, when passing around Cape Horn in the Vincennes.

March 17th, we had light winds from the eastward, and a smooth sea, with delightful weather. There was, however, a heavy bank of cumuli to the south-westward, and after a few hours' calm, the wind came from that quarter, and began to blow fresh, accompanied with heavy squalls. We did not succeed that night in reaching New Island, where it was my intention to have anchored and rode out the gale. We in consequence found ourselves the next morning thirty miles to the eastward of our position on the previous evening, having drifted at the rate of three miles an hour. From appearances I inferred that the gale had set in for several days; I therefore determined to make for Good Success Bay, and await the breaking up of the storm, being satisfied we could make little progress to the westward during its continuance.

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We anchored in the bay early in the afternoon, when we took our boats and went on shore for a few hours. There was but little surf when we landed, but it rapidly increased, and one of the boats in attempting to pass through it filled, and after several ineffectual attempts did not succeed in getting off. A boat was sent to assist, but returned with a report that no relief could be rendered them, land that they had determined to remain until morning.

In the morning the surf had very much increased. The sea setting in the bay rendered our situation uncomfortable, and somewhat dangerous, as we were exposed to the force of it and the wind, which had hauled to the southeast.

At 1 p.m., being desirous of sending provisions to the party on shore, Lieutenant Hartstein was ordered to take charge of two boats to communicate with them, and give them supplies.

My intention was to effect this by having a line floated on shore, by which to haul the seal-boat, or yawl, having provisions lashed in her, through the surf, by the party on shore. Instructions to this effect were given to Lieutenant Hartstein, who was enjoined not to risk the lives of the men. We watched them attentively with our glasses. Shortly after they had anchored their boats outside the surf, we perceived Lieutenant Hartstein and three men strapping on their life-preservers, and preparing themselves for a landing in the boat. I felt under great apprehensions of accident. Placing, however, great confidence in that officer's judgment, I was asswred he would not risk the lives of the men, and his own, on such an occasion. It was with great anxiety we watched their proceedings; in a few moments afterwards they were separated from the other boat, still apparently making preparations In an instant they were borne on the crest of the rollers, and immediately disappeared. Some few minutes after the boat was seen bottom up among the rollers. Presently the other boat's crew were seen pulling in haste towards a person; one was picked up, then another. We looked intently for the rest, but no signs of them were seen. We then endeavoured to count the party on shore, and we thought it had increased, but the constant motion of the vessel rendered it impossible to keep our glasses fixed on them for a sufficient length of time to ascertain their number. We now saw the boat returning; it soon reached the vessel, and Lieutenant Hartstein and Samuel Stretch proved to be the two that had been saved. Both were much exhausted. The persons in the boat, while yet at a distance from the brig, to relieve our anxiety, gave us the joyful intelligence that Williams and Moore had reached the shore in safety.

Lieutenant Hartstein, on recovering from his exhaustion, informed me, that on arriving at the surf and anchoring the boat, he found it impossible to carry into effect the intention of getting a line on shore. He then concluded that in the surf-boat, with oars, and a line from the boat outside, they might land with safety. Samuel Stretch, John Williams, and Samuel Moore, volunteered to accompany him. They strapped on their life-preservers, with which they were provided, and were preparing themselves for the trial, when a wave curling without them, carried them forward with rapidity; in an page 52instant the boat was thrown end over, and they found themselves struggling for life in a furious surf.

Had it not been for the life-preservers, they must all have been drowned. The under tow assisted in bringing Stretch and himself out (neither of whom could swim), together with the boat. Williams and Moore swam to the beach.

The night proved dark and stormy, and the squalls were furious.

The morning of the 21st dawned with no better prospect. All our endeavours to get a supply of provisions to the party on shore, by kites, &c., failed, and it was now deemed advisable for the safety of the brig, to slip our cables and go to sea, on the making of the flood, which sets out of the bay. Previous to this time, we were employed in supplying the yawl with provisions, intending to leave her as a buoy to our cable and anchor; and, to prevent her from sinking, our India-rubber life spars were lashed in her.

We did not again reach Good Success Bay until the night of the 25th, after five days' absence, when we found the party had got the provisions, and were all well At daylight on the 26th they came on board. On the 27th we recovered our anchor, and set sail for Orange Harbour.

On the evening of the 29th, having entered Nassau Bay (it being quite dark), as we were standing, as we supposed, over for Orange Harbour, we heard the surf, and suddenly discovered that we were close in among the kelp; we immediately anchored.

At daylight we found ourselves in a snug cove of Wollaston's Island, and discovered that it was the false pack-saddle to the southward of the island which had served to mislead us.

We were here visited by a canoe with six natives, two old women, two young men, and two children. The two women were paddling, and the fire was burning in the usual place They approached the vessel, singing their rude song, "Hey meh 1eh," and continued it until they came alongside. The expression of the younger ones was extremely prepossessing, evincing much intelligence and good humour. They ate ham and bread voraciously, distending their large mouths, and showing a strong and beautiful set of teeth. A few strips of red flannel distributed among them produced great pleasure; they tied it around their heads as a sort of turban. Knowing they were fond of music, I had the fife played, the only instrument we could muster. They seemed much struck with the sound. The tune of "Yankle Doodle" they did not understand; but when "Bonnets of Blue" was played, they were all in motion, keeping time to it. The vessel at this time was under way, and no presents could persuade them to continue any longer with us. There was some disposition in the younger ones, but the adults refused to be taken where the ficklessness of their climate might subject them to be blown off. We found them, also, extremely imitative, repeating over our words and mimicking our motions. They were all quite naked.

I have seldom seen so happy a group. They were extremely lively and cheerful, and anything but miserable, if we could have avoided contrasting their condition with our own.

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The colour of the young men was a pale, and of the old a dark, copper colour. Their heads were covered with ashes, but their exterior left a pleasing impression. Contentment was pictured in their countenances and actions, and produced a moral effect that will long be remembered.

On the 30th we reached Orange Harbour. The Sea-Gull had returned safely, having, after parting company, visited, as directed, Deception Island.

The plan of Pendulum Cove by Lieutenant Kendall, of the Chanticleer, with which I furnished Lieutenant Johnson, was found accurate. On their landing, the bare ground that was seen was a loose black earth. The beds of the ravines and the beaches were of a black and reddish gravel, much resembling pumice-stone in appearance. Penguins were seen in countless numbers, or, as he expresses it, "covering some hundreds of acres on the hillside." It was then the moulting season, and they were seen busily occupied in picking off each other's feathers. It was an amusing sight to see them associated in pairs, thus employed, and the eagerness with which the sailors attacked them with the oars and boat-hooks. They were not inclined to submit quietly to this intrusion, and in some instances readily gave battle. Their manner in doing it was to seize the aggressor with their bill, and beat him with their flippers. Their bearing was quite courageous, and their retreat dignified, as far as their ridiculous waddle would permit. They were showy-looking birds, with yellow topknots, and are known as the Aptenodytes chrysocome.

As an accompaniment to these penguins, a small white pigeon (Chironis or sheath-bill) was found here, quite tame. These were easily taken in numbers. They are not web-footed, have red legs and bills, with perfectly white, though not fine plumage. They seem to live entirely on the dung of the penguin, and their flesh is black, coarse, and unpalatable.

Knowing that Captain Foster, in the Chanticleer, had left here a self-registering thermometer in 1829, I directed Lieutenant Johnson to look for it, and note its standing; but he did not find it. Since my return I have received a letter from William H. Smiley, master of a sealing vessel that touched there in February, 1842, stating that he had found the thermometer, and carefully noted its minimum temperature, which was 5° below zero.

Lieutenant Johnson, in company with Assistant-Surgeon Whittle, visited an old crater, at the head of the bay, where a gentle ascent of about four hundred feet brought them to the edge of an abrupt bank, some twenty feet high, surrounding the crater on the bay side. The crater was about fifteen hundred feet in diameter, from east to west, bounded on the west or further side by lofty hills, with many ravines, which had apparently been much washed by heavy rains. This led to the belief that the water found within the crater would be fresh, but its taste, and the incrustation of salt found on its borders, showed that it was not so. Near the east end of the crater, the water boils in many places, sometimes bubbling out of the side of a bank, at others near the water's edge, with a hissing page 54noise The surface water was found to be on a level with the waters of the bay, and to be milk warm A few inches below it was perceptibly colder The ground near the Boiling Springs was quite hot In the vicinity were lying quantities of cellular and scoriaceous lava The only sign of vegetation was a lichen, growing m small tufts, around the mouth of several small craters, of three or four feet in diameter From these a heated vapour is constantly issuing, accompanied by much noise Before they returned to the tender, they were overtaken by a violent snow storm from the north east, and with difficulty reached the cove without the boat, having been compelled to leave it at the opposite side of the bay, for the force of the wind was such as to lender all their efforts to pull against it useless This weather continued with much snow, for three days when it ceased snowing, but still blew heavy On the 17th of March they sailed from Deception Island, having left a bottle enclosing reports, tied to a flag staff This was aftei-wards found by Captain Smiley, who mentions in his letter to me, that in February, 1842, the whole south side of Deception Island appeared as if on fire He counted thirteen volcanoes in action He is of opinion that the island is undergoing many changes He likewise leports that Palmer's Land consists of a number of islands, between which he has entered, and that the passages are deep, narrow, and dangerous.

The Sea Gull was despatched, on the 23rd of March, m search of the launch, which had been absent eleven days She was overtaken in passing from Hermit Inland to that of Evout's, and while in tow filled, broke adrift, and was lost.

On the 12th, the Flying Fish arrived, bringing news of the Peacock and their operations, which will be detailed in the following chapter.