‘*773.
December.
Thurfday aj
water near us, feemed to indicate our entrance into the
frigid zone. At night two feals appeared, which we had
not feen for fourteen days paft, and gave fome faint hopes
of feeing land to feveral of our fliipmates ; but our courfe
difappointed their expectations, by continuing within the
circle as far as 6y° 12' S. lat. for feveral days following.
On the 23d in the afternoon, we were furrounded with
iflands of ice, and the fea was in a manner covered with
fmall fragments. The fhip was therefore brought to,
the boats hoifted out, and a great quantity of good ice
taken on board. The birds were at prefent very numerous
about us again, and fome antarCtic and other petrels were
fhot and taken up, which we had an opportunity of drawing
and defcribing. About this time many perfons were
aftlifted with violent rheumatic pains, head-aches, fwelled
glands, and catarrhal fevers, which fome attributed to the
ufe of ice-water. My father, who had complained of a
cold for feveral days paft, was obliged to keep his bed today,
having a fevere rbeumatifm with a fever. His complaint
feemed rather to arife from the wretched accommodations
which he had on board, every thing in his cabin
rotting in the wet which it admitted, and being mouldy.
The cold was fo fenfible there this day in particular, that
he found only a difference of two degrees and a half between
the thermometer there, and that upon the deck.
After
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD. 5 3 5
After hoifting in our boats we made fail to the north-
ward, as much as a contrary wind permitted, during all
the night and the next day. On the 25th, the weather was Saturday aS>
clear and fair, but the wind died away to a perfeCt calm,
upwards of ninety large ice-iflands being in fight at noon.
This being Chriftmas-day, the captain according to cuftom,
invited the officers and mates to dinner,, and one of the
lieutenant’s entertained the petty-officers. The failors
feafted on a double portion of pudding, regaling them-
felves with the brandy of their allowance, which they had'
favel for this occafion fome months before-hand, being
follicitous to get very drunk, though they are- commonly
follicitous about nothing elfe. The fight of an immenfe
number of icy mafles, amongft which we drifted at the
mercy of the current, every moment in danger of being
dallied to pieces againft them, could not deter the failors
from indulging in their favourite amufement. As long as
they had brandy left, they would perfift to keep Ghriftmas
“ like Chriftians,” though the elements had confpired together
for their deftruftion. Their long acquaintance with-
a fea-faring life had inured them to all kinds of perils,,
and their heavy labour, with the inclemencies of weather,,
and other hardlhips, making their mufcles rigid and their
nerves obtufe, had communicated infenfibility to the mind.
It will eafily be conceived, that as they do not feel fo r
fhemfelves fufficiently to provide for their own fafety, they
mufti