At day-light in the morning of the 16th, we saw an island of ice to the northward; for which we steered, in order to take some on board; but the wind shifting to that direction, hindered us from putting this in execution.  At this time we were in the latitude of 57 deg. 8’ S., longitude 80 deg. 59’ E., and had two islands of ice in sight.  This morning we saw one penguin, which appeared to be of the same sort which we had formerly seen near the ice.  But we had now been so often deceived by these birds, that we could no longer look upon them, nor indeed upon any other oceanic birds, which frequent high latitudes, as sure signs of the vicinity of land.

The wind continued not long at north, but veered to E. by N.E., and blew a gentle gale, with which we stood to the southward; having frequent showers of sleet and snow.  But, in the night, we had fair weather, and a clear serene sky; and, between midnight and three o’clock in the morning, lights were seen in the heavens, similar to those in the northern hemisphere, known by the name of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights; but I never heard of the Aurora Australia been seen before.  The officer of the watch observed that it sometimes broke out in spiral rays, and in a circular form; then its light was very strong, and its appearance beautiful.  He could not perceive it had any particular direction; for it appeared, at various times, in different parts of the heavens, and diffused its light throughout the whole atmosphere.[2]

At nine in the morning, we bore down to an island of ice which we reached by noon.  It was full half a mile in circuit, and two hundred feet high at least, though very little loose ice about it.  But while we were considering whether or no we should hoist out our boats to take some up, a great quantity broke from the island.  Upon this we hoisted out our boats, and went to work to get some on board.  The pieces of ice, both great and small, which broke from the island, I observed, drifted fast to the westward; that is, they left the island in that direction, and were, in a few hours, spread over a large space of sea.  This, I have no doubt, was caused by a current setting in that direction.  For the wind could have but little effect upon the ice; especially as there was a large hollow swell from the 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.