In the night the wind veered to N.W. which enabled us to steer S.W.  On the 12th we had still thick hazy weather, with sleet and snow; so that we were obliged to proceed with great caution on account of the ice islands.  Six of these we passed this day; some of them near two miles in circuit, and sixty feet high.  And yet, such was the force and height of the waves, that the sea broke quite over them.  This exhibited a view which for a few moments was pleasing to the eye; but when we reflected on the danger, the mind was filled with horror.  For were a ship to get against the weather-side of one of these islands when the sea runs high, she would be dashed to pieces in a moment.  Upon our getting among the ice islands, the albatrosses left us; that is, we saw but one now and then.  Nor did our other companions, the pintadoes, sheerwaters, small grey birds, fulmars, &c., appear in such numbers; on the other hand, penguins began to make their appearance.  Two of these birds were seen to-day.

The wind in the night veered to west, and at last fixed at S.W., a fresh gale, with sleet and snow, which froze on our sails and rigging as it fell, so that they were all hung with icicles.  We kept on to the southward, passed no less than eighteen ice islands, and saw more penguins.  At noon on the 13th, we were in the latitude of 54 deg.  S., which is the latitude of Cape Circumcision, discovered by M. Bouvet in 1739; but we were ten degrees of longitude east of it; that is, near 118 leagues in this latitude.  We stood on to the S.S.E. till eight o’clock in the evening, the weather still continuing thick and hazy, with sleet and snow.  From noon till this time, twenty ice islands, of various extent, both for height and circuit, presented themselves to our view.  At eight o’clock we sounded, but found no ground with 150 fathom of line.

We now tacked and made a trip to the northward till midnight, when we stood again to the southward; and at half an hour past six o’clock in the morning of the 14th, we were stopped by an immense field of low ice; to which we could see no end, either to the east, west, or south.  In different parts of this field were islands or hills of ice, like those we found floating in the sea; and some on board thought they saw land also over the ice, bearing S.W. by S. I even thought so myself; but changed my opinion upon more narrowly examining these ice hills, and the various appearances they made when seen through the haze.  For at this time it was both hazy and cloudy in the horizon; so that a distant object could not be seen distinct.  Being now in the latitude of 54 deg. 50’ S. and longitude 21 deg. 34’ E., and having the wind at N.W. we bore away along the edge of the ice, steering S.S.E. and S.E., according to the direction of the north side of it, where we saw many whales, penguins, some white birds, pintadoes, &c.

At eight o’clock we brought-to under a point of the ice, where we had smooth water:  and I sent on board for Captain Furneaux.  After we had fixed on rendezvouses in case of separation, and some other matters for the better keeping company, he returned on board, and we made sail again along the ice.  Some pieces we took up along-side, which yielded fresh water.  At noon we had a good observation, and found ourselves in latitude 54 deg. 55’ S.