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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18)




[Footnote 10: There was no inducement to offer a single remark on the
discoveries mentioned in this section, and the one that follows, or to
give any additional observations from the works hitherto used. It is
utterly improbable that any human being could be benefited by the most
perfect information that might be afforded, respecting these desolate
regions. Mr G.F. it is true, hazards a speculation, that if the northern
ocean should ever be cleared of whales, by our annual fisheries, this
part of the southern hemisphere might be visited for the sake of
procuring these animals so abundant in it. But as besides this proviso,
he thinks it necessary that Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego should be
inhabited and civilized like Scotland and Sweden, there will evidently
be time enough some centuries hence, to investigate minutely the
geography and natural history of Georgia and its kindred
neighbours.--E.]


SECTION VI.

_ Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account of the
Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land about
the South Pole_.


On the 25th, we steered E.S.E., with a fresh gale at N.N.E., attended
with foggy weather, till towards the evening, when the sky becoming
clear, we found the variation to be 9 deg. 26' E., being at this time in the
latitude of 56 deg. 16' S., longitude 32 deg. 9' W.

Having continued to steer E.S.E., with a fine gale at N.N.W., till
day-light next morning, on seeing no land to the east, I gave orders to
steer south, being at this time in the latitude of 56 deg. 33' S., longitude
31 deg. 10' W. The weather continued clear, and gave us an opportunity to
observe several distances of the sun and moon for the correcting our
longitude, which at noon was 31 deg. 4' W., the latitude observed 57 deg. 38' S.
We continued to steer to the south till the 27th, at noon, at which time
we were in the latitude of 59 deg. 46' S., and had so thick a fog that we
could not see a ship's length. It being no longer safe to sail before
the wind, as we were to expect soon to fall in with ice, I therefore
hauled to the east, having a gentle breeze at N.N.E. Soon after the fog
clearing away, we resumed our course to the south till four o'clock,
when it returned again as thick as ever, and made it necessary for us to
haul upon a wind.

I now reckoned we were in latitude 60 deg. S., and farther I did not intend
to go, unless I observed some certain signs of soon meeting with land.
For it would not have been prudent in me to have spent my time in
penetrating to the south, when it was at least as probable that a large
tract of land might be found near Cape Circumcision. Besides, I was
tired of these high southern latitudes, where nothing was to be found
but ice and thick fogs. We had now a long hollow swell from the west, a
strong indication that there was no land in that direction; so that I
think I may venture to assert that the extensive coast, laid down in Mr
Dalrymple's chart of the ocean between Africa and America, and the Gulph
of St Sebastian, do not exist.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the fog receding from us a little, gave
us a sight of an ice island, several penguins and some snow peterels; we
sounded, but found no ground at one hundred and forty fathoms. The fog
soon returning, we spent the night in making boards over that space
which we had, in some degree, made ourselves acquainted with in the day.

At eight in the morning of the 28th, we stood to the east, with a gentle
gale at north; the weather began to clear up; and we found the sea
strewed with large and small ice; several penguins, snow peterels, and
other birds were seen, and some whales. Soon after we had sun-shine, but
the air was cold; the mercury in the thermometer stood generally at
thirty-five, but at noon it was 37 deg.; the latitude by observation was 60 deg.
4' S., longitude 29 deg. 23' W.

We continued to stand to the east till half-past two o'clock, p.m., when
we fell in, all at once, with a vast number of large ice-islands, and a
sea strewed with loose ice. The weather too was become thick and hazy,
attended with drizzling rain and sleet, which made it the more dangerous
to stand in among the ice. For this reason we tacked and stood back to
the west, with the wind at north. The ice-islands, which at this time
surrounded us, were nearly all of equal height, and shewed a flat even
surface; but they were of various extent, some being two or three miles
in circuit. The loose ice was what had broken from these isles.

Next morning, the wind falling and veering to S.W., we steered N.E.; but
this coarse was soon intercepted by numerous ice-islands; and, having
but very little wind, we were obliged to steer such courses as carried
us the clearest of them; so that we hardly made any advance, one way or
other, during the whole day. Abundance of whales and penguins were about
us all the time; and the weather fair, but dark and gloomy.

At midnight the wind began to freshen at N.N.E., with which we stood to
the N.W., till six in the morning of the 30th, when the wind veering to
N.N.W., we tacked and stood to N.E., and soon after sailed through a
good deal of loose ice, and passed two large islands. Except a short
interval of clear weather about nine o'clock, it was continually foggy,
with either sleet or snow. At noon we were, by our reckoning, in the
latitude of 59 deg. 3O' S., longitude 29 deg. 24' W.

Continuing to stand to N.E. with a fresh breeze at N.N.W., at two
o'clock, we passed one of the largest ice-islands we had seen in the
voyage, and some time after passed two others, which were much smaller;
Weather still foggy, with sleet: And the wind continued at N. by W.,
with which we stood to N.E., over a sea strewed with ice.

At half an hour past six next morning, as we were standing N.N.E. with
the wind at west, the fog very fortunately clearing away a little, we
discovered land ahead, three or four miles distant. On this we hauled
the wind to the north; but finding we could not weather the land on this
tack, we soon after tacked in one hundred and seventy-five fathoms
water, three miles from the shore, and about half a league from some
breakers. The weather then cleared up a little more, and gave us a
tolerably good sight of the land. That which we had fallen in with
proved three rocky islets of considerable height. The outermost
terminated in a lofty peak like a sugar-loaf, and obtained the name of
Freezeland Peak, after the man who first discovered it. Latitude 59 deg. S.,
longitude 27 deg. W. Behind this peak, that is to the east of it, appeared
an elevated coast, whose lofty snow-clad summits were seen above the
clouds. It extended from N. by E. to E.S.E., and I called it Cape
Bristol, in honour of the noble family of Hervey. At the same time
another elevated coast appeared in sight, bearing S.W. by S., and at
noon it extended from S.E. to S.S.W., from four to eight leagues
distant; at this time the observed latitude was 59 deg. 13' 30" S.,
longitude 27 deg. 45' W. I called this land Southern Thule, because it is
the most southern land that has ever yet been discovered. It shews a
surface of vast height, and is every where covered with snow. Some
thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol. It is
more than probable that these two lands are connected, and that this
space is a deep bay, which I called Forster's Bay.

At one o'clock, finding that we could not weather Thule, we tacked and
stood to the north, and at four, Freezeland Peak bore east, distant
three or four leagues. Soon after, it fell little wind, and we were left
to the mercy of a great westerly swell, which set right upon the shore.
We sounded, but a line of two hundred fathoms found no bottom.

At eight o'clock, the weather, which had been very hazy, clearing up, we
saw Cape Bristol bearing E.S.E., and terminating in a point to the
north, beyond which we could see no land. This discovery relieved us
from the fear of being carried by the swell on the most horrible coast
in the world, and we continued to stand to the north all night, with a
light breeze at west.

On the 1st of February, at four o'clock in the morning, we got sight of
a new coast, which at six o'clock bore N. 60 deg. east. It proved a high
promontory, which I named Cape Montagu, situated in latitude 58 deg. 27' S.,
longitude 26 deg. 44' west, and seven or eight leagues to the north of Cape
Bristol. We saw land from space to space between them, which made me
conclude that the whole was connected. I was sorry I could not determine
this with greater certainty; but prudence would not permit me to venture
near a coast, subject to thick fogs, on which there was no anchorage;
where every port was blocked or filled up with ice; and the whole
country, from the summits of the mountains, down to the very brink of
the cliffs which terminate the coast, covered, many fathoms thick, with
everlasting snow. The cliffs alone was all which was to be seen like
land.

Several large ice-islands lay upon the coast; one of which attracted my
notice. It had a flat surface, was of considerable extent both in height
and circuit, and had perpendicular sides, on which the waves of the sea
had made no impression; by which I judged that it had not been long from
land, and that it might lately have come out of some bay on the coast,
where it had been formed.

At noon we were east and west of the northern part of Cape Montagu,
distant about five leagues, and Freezeland Peak bore S. 16 deg. east,
distant twelve leagues; latitude observed 58 deg. 25' S. In the morning the
variation was 10 deg. 11' east. At two in the afternoon, as we were standing
to the north, with a light breeze at S.W., we saw land bearing N. 25'
east, distant fourteen leagues. Cape Montagu bore at this time, S. 66 deg.
east; at eight it bore S. 40 deg. east; Cape Bristol, S. by E.; the new land
extending from N. 40 deg. to 52 deg. east; and we thought we saw land still more
to the east, and beyond it.

Continuing to steer to the north all night, at six o'clock the next
morning a new land was seen bearing N. 12 deg. east, about ten leagues
distant. It appeared in two hummocks just peeping above the horizon; but
we soon after lost sight of them; and having got the wind at N.N.E. a
fresh breeze, we stood for the northernmost land we had seen the day
before, which at this time bore E.S.E. We fetched in with it by ten
o'clock, but could not weather it, and were obliged to tack three miles
from the coast, which extended from E. by S. to S.E., and had much the
appearance of being an island of about eight or ten leagues circuit. It
shews a surface of considerable height, whose summit was lost in the
clouds, and, like all the neighbouring lands, covered with a sheet of
snow and ice, except in a projecting point on the north side, and two
hills seen over this point, which probably might be two islands. These
only were clear of snow, and seemed covered with a green turf. Some
large ice islands lay to the N.E., and some others to the south.

We stood off till noon, and then tacked for the land again, in order to
see whether it was an island or no. The weather was now become very
hazy, which soon turning to a thick fog, put a stop to discovery, and
made it unsafe to stand for the shore; so that after having run the same
distance in, as we had run off, we tacked and stood to N.W., for the
land we had seen in the morning, which was yet at a considerable
distance. Thus we were obliged to leave the other, under the supposition
of its being an island, which I named Saunders, after my honourable
friend Sir Charles. It is situated in the latitude of 57 deg. 49' south
longitude, 26 deg. 44' west; and north, distant thirteen leagues, from Cape
Montagu.

At six o'clock in the evening, the wind shifting to the west, we tacked,
and stood to the north; and at eight the fog clearing away, gave us a
sight of Saunders's Isle, extending from S.E. by S. to E.S.E. We were
still in doubt if it was an island; for, at this time, land was seen
bearing E. by S., which might or might not be connected with it; it
might also be the same that we had seen the preceding evening. But, be
this as it may, it was now necessary to take a view of the land to the
north, before we proceeded any farther to the east. With this intention,
we stood to the north, having a light breeze at W. by S., which at two
o'clock in the morning of the 3d, was succeeded by a calm that continued
till eight, when we got the wind at E. by S. attended by hazy weather.
At this time we saw the land we were looking for, and which proved to be
two isles. The day on which they were discovered, was the occasion of
calling them Candlemas Isles; latitude 57 deg. 11' S., longitude 27 deg. 6' W.
They were of no great extent, but of considerable height, and were
covered with snow. A small rock was seen between them, and perhaps there
may be more; for the weather was so hazy that we soon lost sight of the
islands, and did not see them again till noon, at which time they bore
west, distant three or four leagues.

As the wind kept veering to the south, we were obliged to stand to the
N.E., in which route we met with several large ice islands, loose ice,
and many penguins; and at midnight, came at once into water uncommonly
white, which alarmed the officer of the watch so much, that he tacked
the ship instantly. Some thought it was a float of ice; others that it
was shallow water; but, as it proved neither, probably it was a shoal of
fish.

We stood to the south till two o'clock next morning, when we resumed our
course to the east with a faint breeze at S.S.E. which having ended in a
calm, at six, I took the opportunity of putting a boat in the water to
try if there were any current; and the trial proved there was none. Some
whales were playing about us, and abundance of penguins: a few of the
latter were shot, and they proved to be of the same sort that we had
seen among the ice before, and different both from those on Staten Land,
and from those at the isle of Georgia. It is remarkable, that we had not
seen a seal since we left that coast. At noon we were in latitude of 56 deg.
44' S., longitude 25 deg. 33' W. At this time we got a breeze at east, with
which we stood to the south, with a view of gaining the coast we had
left; but at eight o'clock the wind shifted to the south, and made it
necessary to tack and stand to the east; in which course we met with
several ice-islands and some loose ice; the weather continuing hazy with
snow and rain.

No penguins were seen on the 5th, which made me conjecture that we were
leaving the land behind us, and that we had already seen its northern
extremity. At noon we were in the latitude of 57 deg. 8' S., longitude 23 deg.
34' west, which was 3 deg. of longitude to the east of Saunders's Isle. In
the afternoon the wind shifted to the west; this enabled us to stretch
to the south, and to get into the latitude of the land, that, if it took
an east direction, we might again fall in with it.

We continued to steer to the south and S.E. till next day at noon, at
which time we were in the latitude of 58 deg. 15' S., longitude 21 deg. 34'
west, and seeing neither land nor signs of any, I concluded that what we
had seen, which I named Sandwich Land, was either a group of islands, or
else a point of the continent. For I firmly believe that there is a
tract of land near the Pole which is the source of most of the ice that
is spread over this vast southern ocean. I also think it probable that
it extends farthest to the north opposite the southern Atlantic and
Indian oceans; because ice was always found by us farther to the north
in these oceans than any where else, which I judge could not be, if
there were not land to the south; I mean a land of considerable extent.
For if we suppose that no such land exists, and that ice may be formed
without it, it will follow of course that the cold ought to be every
where nearly equal round the Pole, as far as 70 deg. or 60' of latitude, or
so far as to be beyond the influence of any of the known continents;
consequently we ought to see ice every where under the same parallel, or
near it; and yet the contrary has been, found. Very few ships have met
with ice going round Cape Horn: And we saw but little below the sixtieth
degree of latitude, in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Whereas in this
ocean, between the meridian of 40 deg. west and 50 deg. or 60 deg. east, we found
ice as far north as 51 deg.. Bouvet met with, some in 48 deg., and others have
seen it in a much lower latitude. It is true, however, that the greatest
part of this southern continent (supposing there is one), must lie
within the polar circle, where the sea is so pestered with ice, that the
land is thereby inaccessible. The risque one runs in exploring a coast,
in these unknown and icy seas, is so very great, that I can be bold
enough to say that no man will ever venture farther than I have done;
and that the lands which may lie to the south will never be explored.
Thick fogs, snow storms, intense cold, and every other thing that can
render navigation dangerous, must be encountered, and these difficulties
are greatly heightened by the inexpressibly horrid aspect of the
country; a country doomed by nature never once to feel the warmth of
the sun's rays, but to lie buried in everlasting snow and ice. The ports
which may be on the coast, are, in a manner, wholly filled up with
frozen snow of vast thickness; but if any should be so far open as to
invite a ship into it, she would run a risque of being fixed there for
ever, or of coming out in an ice island. The islands and floats on the
coast, the great falls from the ice-cliffs in the port, or a heavy
snow-storm attended with a sharp frost, would be equally fatal.

After such an explanation as this, the reader must not expect to find me
much farther to the south. It was, however, not for want of inclination,
but for other reasons. It would have been rashness in me to have risqued
all that had been done during the voyage, in discovering and exploring a
coast, which, when discovered and explored, would have answered no end
whatever, or have been of the least use, either to navigation or
geography, or indeed to any other science. Bouvet's discovery was yet
before us, the existence of which was to be cleared up; and, besides all
this, we were not now in a condition to undertake great things; nor
indeed was there time, had we been ever so well provided.

These reasons induced me to alter the course to the east, with a very
strong gale at north, attended with an exceedingly heavy fall of snow.
The quantity which lodged on our sails was so great, that we were
frequently obliged to throw the ship up in the wind to shake it out of
them, otherwise neither they nor the ship could have supported the
weight. In the evening it ceased to snow; the weather cleared up, the
wind backed to the west, and we spent the night in making two short
boards, under close-reefed top-sails and fore-sail.

At day-break on the 7th, we resumed our course to the east, with a very
fresh gale at S.W. by W., attended by a high sea from the same
direction. In the afternoon, being in the latitude of 58 deg. 24' S.,
longitude 16 deg. 19' west, the variation was 1 deg. 52' east. Only three
ice-islands seen this day. At eight o'clock, shortened sail, and hauled
the wind to the S.E. for the night, in which we had several showers of
snow and sleet.

On the 8th at day-light, we resumed our east course with a gentle breeze
and fair weather. After sun-rise, being then in the latitude of 58 deg. 30'
S., longitude 15 deg. 14' west, the variation, by the mean results of two
compasses, was 2 deg. 43' east. These observations were more to be depended
on than those made the night before, there being much less sea now than
then. In the afternoon, we passed three ice-islands. This night was
spent as the preceding.

At six next morning, being in the latitude of 58 deg. 27' S., longitude 13 deg.
4' W., the variation was 26' E.; and in the afternoon, being in the same
latitude, and about a quarter of a degree more to the east, it was 2'
west. Therefore this last situation must be in or near the Line, in
which the compass has no variation. We had a calm the most part of the
day. The weather fair and clear, excepting now and then a snow-shower.
The mercury in the thermometer at noon rose to 40; whereas, for several
days before, it had been no higher than 36 or 38. We had several
ice-islands in sight, but no one thing that could induce us to think
that any land was in our neighbourhood. At eight in the evening a breeze
sprung up at S.E., with which we stood to N.E.

During the night the wind freshened and veered south, which enabled us
to steer east. The wind was attended with showers of sleet and snow till
day-light, when the weather became fair, but piercing cold, so that the
water on deck was frozen, and at noon the mercury in the thermometer was
no higher than 34-1/2. At six o'clock in the morning, the variation was
23' west, being then in the latitude of 58 deg. 15' S., longitude 11 deg. 41' W;
and at six in the evening, being in the same latitude, and in the
longitude of 9 deg. 24' W., it was 1 deg. 51' W. In the evening the wind abated;
and during the night, it was variable between south and west.
Ice-islands continually in sight.

On the 11th, wind westerly, light airs attended with heavy showers of
snow in the morning; but as the day advanced, the weather became fair,
clear, and serene. Still continuing to steer east, at noon we observed
in latitude 58 deg. 11', longitude at the same time 7 deg. 55' west. Thermometer
34-2/3. In the afternoon we had two hours calm; after which we had faint
breezes between the N.E. and S.E.

At six o'clock in the morning of the 12th, being in the latitude of 58 deg.
23' S., longitude 6 deg. 54' W., the variation was 3 deg. 23' west. We had
variable light airs next to a calm all this day, and the weather was
fair and clear till towards the evening, when it became cloudy with
snow-showers, and the air very cold. Ice-islands continually in sight;
most of them small and breaking to pieces.

In the afternoon of the 13th, the wind increased, the sky became
clouded, and soon after we had a very heavy fall of snow, which
continued till eight or nine o'clock in the evening, when the wind
abating and veering to S.E., the sky cleared up, and we had a fair
night, attended with so sharp a frost, that the water in all our vessels
on deck was next morning covered with a sheet of ice. The mercury in the
thermometer was as low as 29 deg., which is 3 deg. below freezing, or rather 4;
for we generally found the water freeze when the mercury stood at 33 deg..

Towards noon on the 14th, the wind veering to the south, increased to a
very strong gale, and blew in heavy squalls attended with snow. At
intervals, between the squalls, the weather was fair and clear, but
exceedingly cold. We continued to steer east, inclining a little to the
north, and in, the afternoon crossed the first meridian, or that of
Greenwich, in the latitude of 57 deg. 50' S. At eight in, the evening, we
close-reefed the top-sails, took in the main-sail, and steered east with
a very hard gale at S.S.W., and a high sea from the same direction.

At day-break on the 15th, we set the main-sail, loosed a reef out of
each top-sail, and with a very strong gale at S.W., and fair weather,
steered E.N.E. till noon, at which, time we were in latitude of 50 deg. 37'
S., longitude 4 deg. 11' E., when we pointed to the N.E., in order to get
into the latitude of Cape Circumcision. Some large ice-islands were in
sight, and the air was nearly as cold as on the preceding day. At eight
o'clock in the evening, shortened sail, and at eleven hauled the wind to
the N.W., not daring to stand on in the night, which was foggy, with
snow-showers, and a smart frost.

At day-break on the 16th, we bore away N.E., with a light breeze at
west, which, at noon, was succeeded by a calm and fair weather. Our
latitude at this time was 55 deg. 26' S., longitude 5 deg. 52' E., in which
situation we had a great swell from the southward, but no ice in sight.
At one o'clock in the p.m., a breeze springing up at E.N.E., we stood to
S.E. till six, then tacked, and stood to the north, under double-reefed
top-sails and courses, having a very fresh gale attended with snow and
sleet, which fixed to the masts and rigging as it fell, and coated the
whole with ice.

On the 17th the wind continued veering, by little and little, to the
south, till midnight, when it fixed at S.W. Being at this time in the
latitude of 54 deg. 20' S., longitude 6 deg. 33' east, I steered east, having a
prodigious high sea from the south, which assured us no land was near in
that direction.

In the morning of the 18th, it ceased to snow; the weather became fair
and clear; and we found the variation to be 18 deg. 44' west. At noon we
were in the latitude of 54 deg. 25', longitude 8 deg. 46' east. I thought this a
good latitude to keep in, to look for Cape Circumcision; because, if the
land had ever so little extent in the direction of north and south, we
could not miss seeing it, as the northern point is said to lie in 54 deg..
We had yet a great swell from the south, so that I was now well assured
it could only be an island, and it was of no consequence which side we
fell in with. In the evening Mr Wales made several observations of the
moon, and stars Regulus and Spica; the mean results, at four o'clock
when the observations were made, for finding the time by the watch, gave
9 deg. 15' 20" east longitude. The watch at the same time gave 9 deg. 36' 45".
Soon after the variation was found to be 13 deg. 10' west. It is nearly in
this situation that Mr Bouvet had 1 deg. east. I cannot suppose that the
variation has altered so much since that time; but rather think he had
made some mistake in his observations. That there could be none in ours
was certain, from the uniformity for some time past. Besides, we found
12 deg. 8' west, variation, nearly under this meridian, in January 1773.
During the night the wind veered round by the N.W. to N.N.E. and blew a
fresh gale.

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