Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/340

242 as it allowed us to open the hatches, which had been closely battened down during the late gale of three days' continuance. The condensation of vapour between decks had been so great as to run down the ship's sides in small streams. I therefore directed the warm-air stove to be put into operation, which speedily and effectually removed every appearance of damp, driving the vapours up the hatchways, and circulating in its place a dry, pure air. The admirable performance of this most invaluable invention of Mr. Sylvester cannot be mentioned in adequate terms of praise.

Towards evening the swell had greatly subsided, but there was still a strong wind blowing, and the snow falling so thick, that we could seldom see a mile before us: running down upon a lee shore under such circumstances was a measure of some anxiety, but the barometer was rising fast from its very low state, and promised an improvement of the weather.

We were still a hundred miles from Franklin Island, for which we were steering, and I was unwilling to lose the advantage of the favourable breeze, even at some degree of hazard; for I felt we had but a few days to do much that we still hoped to accomplish.

On the 27th of January we had not been able to approach the pole nearer than about eighty leagues, but during the time we had spent in examining the barrier, a period of nearly three weeks, we could not but hope that so much more of the land ice would have broken away as to admit of our getting