Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/15

Rh Cook were gathered during the two and a half winter months that the "Erebus and Terror" staid there, together with many other species, a remarkable proof of the uniformity of the climate, and the comparative mildness of the winter season. The ships left Kerguelen's Island on the 20th of July, and arrived in the river Derwent, Van Diemen's Island, on the 16th of August 1840.

On the 12th of November 1840, we quitted Hobarton for our first voyage to the South Pole, during which the only places visited which yielded many plants were Lord Auckland's Islands, lat. 50½° S., long. 166° E., where we arrived after a week's sail from the last-mentioned coast, and staid there during the spring months of that latitude, and Campbell's Island, in lat. 52½° S., long. 169° E. Quitting that island again on the 17th of December, the ships finally sailed for an entirely unexplored region of discovery. The Macrocystis and D'Urvillæa were found in large vegetating floating patches, nearly as far south as any open water remained free of bergs, in lat. 61° S. The vessels entered the pack-ice in lat. 68° S., long. 175°.

During this voyage the vast extent of continent, since called "Victoria Land," was discovered, together with the active volcano "Mount Erebus," the extinct one "Mount Terror," and that icy barrier, which, running east and west, in the parallel of 78° S., prevents all farther progress towards the pole. Two small islets were landed upon: one in lat. 71° 49' S., long. 170° 52' E.; the other, Franklin Island, in lat. 76° S. and long. 168° 59' E.; but neither of these spots presented the slightest trace of vegetation. On the return voyage the Macrocystis again occurred, floating as usual in immense masses, in lat. 51° 10' S., and long. 137° E.

The expedition returned to Hobarton, Van Diemen's Island, late in the autumn (of that latitude), April 7th, 1841; on the 7th of July again started from Van Diemen's Island, and after a short visit to Sydney, cast anchor in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, August 18th, 1841, where we remained three months. This time was spent in collecting materials for a Flora of New Zealand, in which object we received great assistance from Mr. Colenso and many other gentlemen, by means of whose zealous cooperation our collections were rendered extremely valuable.

The second exploring voyage was commenced on the 15th of November 1841. It had been Captain Ross's intention to land on Chatham Island, in lat. 44° S. and 176°