west. This circumstance greatly retarded our taking up ice. We, however,
made a shift to get on board about nine or ten tons before eight o'clock,
when we hoisted in the boats and made sail to the east, inclining to the
south, with a fresh gale at south; which, soon after, veered to S.S.W. and
S.W., with fair but cloudy weather. This course brought us among many ice
isles; so that it was necessary to proceed with great caution. In the night
the mercury in the thermometer fell two degrees below the freezing point;
and the water in the scuttle casks on deck was frozen. As I have not taken
notice of the thermometer of late, I shall now observe, that, as we
advanced to the north, the mercury gradually rose to 45, and fell again, as
we advanced to the south, to what is above-mentioned; nor did it rise, in
the middle of the day, to above 34 or 35.

In the morning of the 18th, being in the latitude of 57° 54' S., longitude
83° 14' E., the variation was 39° 33' W. In the evening, in latitude 58° 2'
S., longitude 84° 35' E., it was only 37° 8' W., which induced me to
believe it was decreasing. But in the evening of the 20th, in the latitude
of 58° 47' S., longitude 90° 56' E., I took nine azimuths, with Dr Knight's
compass, which gave the variation 40° 7', and nine others, with Gregory's,
which gave 40° 15' W.

This day, at noon, being nearly in the latitude and longitude just
mentioned, we thought we saw land to the S.W. The appearance was so strong
that we doubted not it was there in reality, and tacked to work up to it
accordingly; having a light breeze at south, and clear weather. We were,
however, soon undeceived, by finding that it was only clouds; which, in the
evening, entirely disappeared, and left us a clear horizon, so that we
could see a considerable way round us; in which space nothing was to be
seen but ice islands.