Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/460

356 and letter of Mr. Wilkes in his hands, I apprehend it could hardly have been seriously expected that he should search the newspaper accounts (which probably he never saw) for other or better information on the subject.

"On my visit to Captain Ross on board the Erebus, he spread this chart before me in the presence of Captain Crozier and two of my own officers. It was distinctly drawn out on tracing paper—the whole appearing, so far as I observed, one connected operation, representing nothing but the result of his own (Wilkes's) explorations. Ross, believing it to be such, had transcribed it at length on his chart, which he also placed before us, and pointed out the tracks of his vessels marked on it in red ink, and passing directly over the spot assigned to the land, which we all considered as laid down by Lieutenant Wilkes to represent the north-eastern limit of his supposed antarctic continent, and where he (Ross) said they had a clear sea as far as the eye could reach. Such was the evidence on which my belief in his report was founded. To my mind it was conclusive; and I cheerfully leave it for the judgment of others to determine whether or not, under all the circumstances here stated, it be just cause of 'surprise' that Captain Ross should have boldly asserted that he had run over a clear ocean where Lieutenant Wilkes had laid down the land, and that I should have taken it for granted, without further examination, that such was the fact.

"In making this statement, I can say, with perfect sincerity, I am actuated by no unkindness of feeling towards Mr. Wilkes; but, fully persuaded as I am that the erroneous statement for which he publicly censures Captain Ross, and shows a little temper towards me, was the result of his own negligence alone, I considered it due to that distinguished navigator, as well as to myself, that the matter should be publicly explained. "I am, very respectfully, &c.""