»773*
fuch hair-breadth efcapes, we paffed unconcernedly on, as
D e c em b e r . if the waves, the winds, and rocks of ice had not the power
to hurt us. The pieces of ice had a variety of fhapes, in
the fame manner as thofe which we had obferved to the
fouthward of the Indian Ocean ; and many pyramids, obe-
lilks, and church-fpires appeared from time to time. Their
height was not much inferior to that which we had obferved
among the firil iflands of ice in 1772; and many like-
wife refembled them in being of a great extent and perfectly
level at top.
The number of birds which we had hitherto met with
on our paflage, would have perfuaded any other voyagers
but ourfelves of the approach of land. We were, however,.
To much üfed to their appearance.on the fea at prefent, as
never once to form any expectation of difcovering land
from that circumftance. Flocks of blue petrels and pinta-
das, many albatroffès, with now and then a folitary fk.ua
had attended us everyday; and to thefe, fince our approach
to the ice, we could join the fnowy and antarïlic petrels and
the fulmars. However, pinguïns, fea-weed, or Teals, had
not been obferved fince the 10th.
The weather, which was extremely moifl, and difagree-
ably. cold, proved unfavourable to the doves and pigeons
which many people had purchafed at the Society and Friendly
Iflands, and to the finging-birds which they had been at.
great pains to catch alive at New Zeeland, We had five doves.
at.
at our departure from this country, all which died one af- „ W
ter another before the 1 6 th of December, being much more
expofed to the cold in our cabins, than in the failors births.
The thermometer in our cabins was never more than y deg.
higher than in the open air on deck, and their fituation
abreaft of the main-mafi, where the ftrain of the lliip is
greateft, expofed them to currents of air, and made them
admit water like fieves.
On the 1 6th, in the afternoon, and on the 17th, we Friday .7-.
hoifted out our boats and collected fome loofe pieces of ice
to fill our empty calks with frefh water. The ice which
we picked' up was old and fpungy, and impregnated with
faline particles, from having long been in a ftate of decay
therefore did not afford us very good water, but it was
drinkable, particularly if we let the pieces of ice lie on deck
for fome time, by which means the falt-water was almoft
entirely drained off. From this time till the 20th we faw
no birds about us, which difappeared without any vifible
caufe ; but on that day fome albatrofle.s appeared again.
Having left the ice behind which obftrufted our paflage,
we had gradually advanced to the fouthward again, that
being our principal objeft, and on the 20th in the.after- Mo„da
noon, we eroded the antanflic circle the fecond time during
our voyage. The weather was wet and foggy, ice iflands
were numerous around us, and the gale was very brifk.
Many antarflic petrels, and a whale which fpouted up the
water