ships to remain among the ice. The danger
was yet farther increased by discovering an immense field to the north,
extending from N.E. by E. to S.W. by W. farther than the eye could reach.
As we were not above two or three miles from this, and surrounded by loose
ice, there was no time to deliberate. We presently wore; got our tacks on
board; hauled to the south, and soon got clear; but not before we had
received several hard knocks from the loose pieces, which were of the
largest sort, and among which we saw a seal. In the afternoon the wind
increased in such a manner, as to oblige us to hand the top-sails, and
strike top-gallant-yards. At eight o'clock we tacked and stood to the east
till midnight; when being in the latitude of 60 deg. 21' S., longitude 13 deg. 32'
E, we stood again to the west.

1773 January

Next day, towards noon, the gale abated, so that we could carry close-
reefed top-sails. But the weather continued thick and hazy, with sleet and
snow, which froze on the rigging as it fell, and ornamented the whole with
icicles; the mercury in the thermometer being generally below the freezing
point. This weather continued till near noon the next day; at which time we
were in the latitude of 59 deg. 12' S.; longitude 9 deg. 45' E.; and here we saw
some penguins.

The wind had now veered to the west, and was so moderate, that we could
bear two reefs out of the top-sails. In the afternoon, we were favoured
with a sight of the moon, whose face we had seen but once since we left the
Cape of Good Hope. By this a judgment may be formed of the sort of weather
we had since we left that place. We did not fail to seize the opportunity
to make several observations of the sun and moon. The longitude deduced
from it was 9 deg. 34' 30" E. Mr Kendal's watch, at the same time, giving 10 deg.
6' E., and the latitude was 58 deg. 53' 30" S.

This longitude is nearly the same that is assigned to Cape Circumcision;
and at the going down of the sun we were about ninety-five leagues to the
south of the latitude it is said to lie in. At this time the weather was so
clear, that we might have seen land at fourteen or fifteen leagues
distance. It is, therefore very probable, that what Bouvet took for land,
was nothing but mountains of ice, surrounded by loose or field-ice. We
ourselves were undoubtedly deceived by the ice-hills, the day we first fell
in with the field-ice. Nor was it an improbable conjecture, that that ice
joined to la