Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/13



N the beginning of the year 1839, the British Government having determined on fitting out an Expedition, for the purpose of investigating the phenomena of Terrestrial Magnetism in various remote countries, and for prosecuting Maritime Geographical Discovery in the high southern latitudes, H.M. Ships Erebus and Terror, commissioned by Captain Sir James Clark Ross, sailed from Chatham on the 29th of September 1839. In addition to carrying out the above-mentioned leading views, it was enjoined to the officers, that they should use every exertion to collect the various objects of Natural History which the many heretofore unexplored countries about to be visited would afford.

On the outward voyage we touched at most of the Atlantic Islands, making a longer stay at some of them than is usual, on account of the nature of the observations that were instituted. At Madeira, which was the first visited, we called in the middle of October, and remained eleven days; and then made Teneriffe and the Cape de Verds, whence we sailed for and landed upon St. Paul's Rocks, under the Line, in long. 29° W. St. Helena was the next destination, and the course which it was found necessary to follow took us to the Island of Trinidad off the Brazilian coast, lat. 20° S.

After spending a week at St. Helena, the vessels sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, arriving there on the 4th of April 1840. The Cape may be regarded as the