At noon of this day we were in latitude 78 degrees 30', longitude 40 degrees 15' W.The cold was now excessive, and we had hail squalls continually from the northward and eastward.

In this direction also we saw several more immense icebergs, and the whole horizon to the eastward appeared to be blocked up with field ice, rising in tiers, one mass above the other.

Some driftwood floated by during the evening, and a great quantity of birds flew over, among which were nellies, peterels, albatrosses, and a large bird of a brilliant blue plumage.

The variation here, per azimuth, was less than it had been previously to our passing the Antarctic circle.
January 12.-Our passage to the south again looked doubtful, as nothing was to be seen in the direction of the pole but one apparently limitless floe, backed by absolute mountains of ragged ice, one precipice of which arose frowningly above the other.

We stood to the westward until the fourteenth, in the hope of finding an entrance.
January 14.-This morning we reached the western extremity of the field which had impeded us, and, weathering it, came to an open sea, without a particle of ice.