S 34
whales, by our annual fifheries, we might then vifit the
other hemifphere, where thefe animals are known to be
numerous. However, there feems to be little neceffity to
advance fo far fouth as New Georgia in quell of them,
fince the Portuguefe, and the North Americans, have of late
years killed numbers of them on the coaft of America, going
no farther than the Falkland Iflands. It fhould therefore
feem probable, that though Southern Georgia may hereafter
become important to mankind, that period is at prefent fo
far remote, and perhaps will not happen, till Patagonia and
Tierra del Fuego are inhabited, and civilifed like Scotland
and Sweden.
Thurfdiy is. We flood to the fouthward on the 26th, with a frefh
breeze, and the horizon tolerably clear, confidering the
ufual weather of thefe climates, and returned to our wonted
but loathed diet of falted meat, having eaten the laft pin-
guin which we had killed in Poffeflion Bay ; however, the
expectation of a fpeedy arrival at the Cape of Good Hope,
in fome meafure alleviated our fufferings. On the 27 th
at noon we had palled the latitude of S 9 i° S. and faw fe-
veral fulmars (procellaria glacialis) which are commonly the
forerunners of ice in high latitudes. Accordingly in the
evening, between fix and feven, we faw feveral iflands of
ice, and a quantity of loofe ice. Fogs and wet weather fet
an this day, which prevented opr fleering fo much to the
fouthward as we had hitherto dong. Many great mafies
of
of ice furrounded us on all fides the next day, and in the
afternoon a large bed of fmall ice, adjoining to feveral Saturday as
fields of ice, flopped our farther progrefs, greatly to the fa-
tisfaClion of all the crew, who were at prefent thoroughly
tired of this dreadful climate, and exhaufted by perpetual
watching and attendance, which the frequency and fudden
appearance of dangers required. We had this time pene- .
trated only a few minutes beyond 6o ° S. and gradually
fleered to the northward, as well as the winds, the thick-
nefs of the weather, and the ice would permit. Many of
our people were at this time afflicted with fevere rheumatic
pains and colds, and fome were fuddenly taken with fainting
fits, fince their unwholefome, juicelefs food could not
fupply the wafte of animal fpirits. The thermometer flood
at 3 in thefe high latitudes ; and this degree of cold, as
well as the continuance of fnow-fliowers and wet fogs,
greatly retarded the recovery of our patients. However, as
we now fleered to the northward, we were in hopes of foon
reaching a milder climate, fully perfuaded that no farther
obftacles lay in wait to try our patience. But we were again
doomed to experience difappointment, and difcovered another
frozen country, which
Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual ftorms
O f whirlwind and dire h a il; which on firm land
Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin feems..
O f ancient pile* M j l t .ont.
T he