Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/179

] saving them from their perilous situation, completely benumbed and stupified with the cold. The boats were, with much difficulty, owing to the sea that was running, hoisted up, and not until after one of them had been again swamped alongside.

We resumed our course under all sail, although this calamitous detention of some hours frustrated all our expectations of overtaking the Terror. A small iceberg, seen at a considerable distance just before dark, warned us to be vigilant during the night, which at this season being fifteen hours long obliged us to run at all hazards, or to delay our voyage to a ruinous extent. It has at all times a good effect upon those whose duty it is to look out, and an advantageous stimulus even to the most diligent, occasionally to see real dangers; but they were, in this instance, the cause of several false alarms, from the impression left upon our minds.

The weather continued fine all night and the greater part of the next day. Numerous birds of the petrel kind, which were flying about, seemed to enjoy the short-lived tranquillity, and were eagerly employed searching the patches of floating sea-weed for small fish and marine insects, which find a precarious security amongst its densely interwoven branches from the persecutions of their enemies.

Barnacles, and a beautiful species of Serpula, were found attached to the stems of some weed that was hooked up as we sailed along.