Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/259

] days past, rose to 41.5, that of the air being 38°. The sea was observed, also, to be of a clear light blue colour. The sooty albatross, the only bird seen lately, was in considerable numbers.

It was a fine clear evening, but we still looked in vain for the aurora australis: last year, at this period of the season, in nearly the same latitude, and about one hundred degrees of longitude to the westward, we had splendid exhibitions of it almost every night; from which it would seem that its occurrence in some degree depends upon local causes, which, therefore, its total absence in this part of the southern ocean may assist in explaining.

A moderate breeze from south-west, we hove to at 1.30, in latitude 58° 36′ S., and longitude 104° 40′ W., and tried for, but without obtaining, soundings, with 600 fathoms of line: the temperature at that depth was 40°; at 450 fathoms, 40°.5; at 300 fathoms, 40°.8; at 150 fathoms, 40°.7; at 100 fathoms, 40°.8; at 50 fathoms, 40°.8; and, at the surface, 41°; that of the air being 32°. The specific gravity throughout being 1.0277 at 43°.5 of temperature. These experiments show that we were very nearly on the line of uniform temperature, which here appears to be about a degree higher than we have found it in other parts of the ocean, and also rather further to the southward.

Many black-backed albatross, and a few stormy and blue petrel were seen, as were also two