ow so familiar to us, that
they were often passed unnoticed; but more generally unseen on account of
the thick weather. At nine o'clock in the evening, we came to one, which
had a quantity of loose ice about it. As the wind was moderate, and the
weather tolerably fair, we shortened sail, and stood on and off, with a
view of taking some on board on the return of light. But at four o'clock in
the morning, finding ourselves to leeward of this ice, we bore down to an
island to leeward of us; there being about it some loose ice, part of which
we saw break off. There we brought-to; hoisted out three boats; and in
about five or six hours, took up as much ice as yielded fifteen tons of
good fresh water. The pieces we took up were hard, and solid as a rock;
some of them were so large, that we were obliged to break them with pick-
axes before they could be taken into the boats.

The salt water which adhered to the ice, was so trifling as not to be
tasted, and, after it had lain on deck for a short time, entirely drained
off; and the water which the ice yielded, was perfectly sweet and well-
tasted. Part of the ice we broke in pieces, and put into casks; some we
melted in the coppers, and filled up the casks with the water; and some we
kept on deck for present use. The melting and stowing away the ice is a
little tedious, and takes up some time; otherwise this is the most
expeditious way of watering I ever met with.

Having got on board this supply of water, and the Adventure about two-
thirds as much (of which we stood in great need,) as we had once broke the
ice, I did not doubt of getting more whenever we were in want. I therefore
without hesitation directed our course more to the south, with a gentle
gale at N.W., attended, as usual, with snow showers. In the morning of the
11th, being then in the latitude of 62 deg. 44' S., longitude 37 deg. E., the
variation of the compass was 24 deg. 10' W., and the following morning in the
latitude of 64 deg. 12' S., longitude 38 deg. 14' E., by the mean of three
compasses, it was no more than 23 deg. 52' W. In this situation we saw some
penguins; and being near an island of ice from which several pieces had
broken, we hoisted out two boats, and took on board as much as filled all
our empty casks, and the Adventure did the same. While this was doing, Mr
Forster shot an albatross, whose plumage was of a colour between brown and
dark-grey, the head and upper side of the wings rather inclining