Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/214

134 water, and that during their cruize they had coasted along the Icy Barrier, and had touched here for water. We were all much surprised that no mention was made of the "Antarctic Continent" discovered by Lieutenant Wilkes, but supposed that secrecy had been enforced upon him, as to any discoveries he might make, or that having parted from the Vincennes, his track had been more northerly, and therefore less fortunate than his commodore. I have reason now to believe the latter to be the more correct conjecture.

By the side of a small stream of water, and on the only cleared spot we could find, the ruins of a small hut was discovered, which I have since learnt formed for several years the wretched habitation of a deserter from an English whale ship and a New Zealand woman.

The ships being securely moored in a well-sheltered anchorage, on the west side of the harbour, the observatories were landed, and all hands employed clearing away the trees and digging for a foundation; the upper surface was a complete mass of peat bog, and the deeper we dug down the softer it became, so that we had great difficulty and labour in making a foundation sufficiently firm for our purpose: this was, however, accomplished by filling the deep holes with large blocks of stone, and after they had settled, placing casks filled with sand upon them; the instruments being then secured upon the casks. The term-day was so nigh at hand, we had not time to seek for a more suitable place, and we now felt the great advantage of