Chapter XI. From the Sandwich Islands to the Polar Circle

           TheHalbrane,singularlyfavouredbytheweather,sightedtheNewSouthOrkneysgroupinsixdaysaftershehadsailedfromtheSandwichIslands.ThisarchipelagowasdiscoveredbyPalmer,anAmerican,andBothwell,anEnglishman,jointly,in1821-22.Crossedbythesixty-firstparallel,itiscomprehendedbetweentheforty-fourthandtheforty,seventhmeridian.

           Onapproaching,wewereenabledtoobservecontortedmassesandsteepcliffsonthenorthside,whichbecamelessruggedastheynearedthecoast,atwhoseedgelayenormousice-floes,heapedtogetherinformidableconfusion;these,beforetwomonthsshouldhaveexpired,wouldbedriftedtowardsthetemperatewaters.Atthatseasonthewhalingshipswouldappeartocarryonthetakingofthegreatblowingcreatures,whilesomeoftheircrewswouldremainontheislandstocapturesealsandsea-elephants.

           Inordertoavoidthestrait,whichwasencumberedwithisletsandice-floes,CaptainLenGuyfirstcastanchoratthesouth-easternextremityofLaurieIsland,wherehepassedthedayonthe24th;then,havingroundedCapeDundas,hesailedalongthesoutherncoastofCoronationIsland,wheretheschooneranchoredonthe25th.OurcloseandcarefulresearchesproducednoresultasregardedthesailorsoftheJane.

           Theislandsandisletswerepeopledbymultitudesofbirds.Withouttakingthepenguinsintoaccount,thoseguano-coveredrockswerecrowdedwithwhitepigeons,aspeciesofwhichIhadalreadyseensomespecimens.