Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/258

226 storm of forty hours' duration, which obliged us to heave to under the close-reefed main-topsail during the night, as we were amongst a great many bergs; the high sea running tried the rigging of our jury spars, and occasioned us a night of much anxiety.

At daylight we bore away before the gale, the sea heavy, our ships scudding well, seldom shipping any water; for, although from their construction they sailed slowly, they possessed the advantage of being admirable sea boats, whether lying to or running before a storm. Our position at noon, by observation, was latitude 59° 21′ S., longitude 114° 57′ W. By steering more to the northward, we might have got out of the region of icebergs; but we preferred keeping as far south as we prudently might, both for the advantage of shortening the distance, and obtaining magnetic observations.

The gale abated soon after noon, and we enjoyed the beautiful evening that followed: aided by the feeble light of the moon during the early part of the night, and the clear starlight after midnight, we continued our course.

{{left sidenote|March 21.}At 2 we passed very close by a small berg, the white foam of the sea dashing over it rendering it conspicuous against the dark sky beyond.

At noon we were in latitude 59° 9′ S., and longitude 111° 18′ W., the magnetic dip 71° 41′ S., and the variation 20° 52′ E. The temperature of the sea, which had been warmer than the air for some