ss his
resolution of pushing boldly to the southward.

CHAPTER 17

We kept our course southwardly for four days after giving up the
search for Glass's islands, without meeting with any ice at all. On the
twenty-sixth, at noon, we were in latitude 63 degrees 23' S., longitude
41 degrees 25' W. We now saw several large ice islands, and a floe of
field ice, not, however, of any great extent. The winds generally blew
from the southeast, or the northeast, but were very light. Whenever we
had a westerly wind, which was seldom, it was invariably attended with a
rain squall. Every day we had more or less snow. The thermometer, on the
twenty-seventh stood at thirty-five.

January 1, 1828.--This day we found ourselves completely hemmed in by
the ice, and our prospects looked cheerless indeed. A strong gale blew,
during the whole forenoon, from the northeast, and drove large cakes of
the drift against the rudder and counter with such violence that we all
trembled for the consequences. Toward evening, the gale still blowing
with fury, a large field in front separated, and we were enabled, by
carrying a press of sail to force a passage through the smaller flakes
into some open water beyond. As we approached this space we took in sail
by degrees, and having at length got clear, lay-to under a single reefed
foresail.

January 2.--We had now tolerably pleasant weather. At noon we found
ourselves in latitude 69 degrees 10' S, longitude 42 degrees 20' W,
having crossed the Antarctic circle. Very little ice was to be seen to
the southward, although large fields of it lay behind us. This day we
rigged some sounding gear, using a large iron pot capable of holding
twenty gallons, and a line of two hundred fathoms. We found the
current setting to the north, about a quarter of a mile per hour. The
temperature of the air was now about thirty-three. Here we found the
variation to be 14 degrees 28' easterly, per azimuth.

January 5.--We had still held on to the southward without any very great
impediments. On this morning, however, being in latitude 73 degrees 15'
E., longitude 42 degrees 10' W, we were again brought to a stand by an
immense expanse of firm ice. We saw, nevertheless, much open water to
the southward, and felt no doubt of being able to reach it eventually.
Standing to the eastward along the edge of the floe, we at length came
to a passage of about a mile in width, through which we warped our way
by sundown. The sea in