Heclaimedtobesupremegovernoroftheislands，andhadunderhiscontroltwenty-onemenandthreewomen。Hegaveaveryfavourableaccountofthesalubrityoftheclimateandoftheproductivenessofthesoil。Thepopulationoccupiedthemselveschieflyincollectingsealskinsandseaelephantoil，withwhichtheytradedtotheCapeofGoodHope，Glassowningasmallschooner。Attheperiodofourarrivalthegovernorwasstillaresident，buthislittlecommunityhadmultiplied，therebeingfifty-sixpersonsuponTristan，besidesasmallersettlementofsevenonNightingaleIsland。Wehadnodifficultyinprocuringalmosteverykindofrefreshmentwhichwerequired-sheep，hogs，bullocks，rabbits，poultry，goats，fishingreatvariety，andvegetableswereabundant。Havingcometoanchorcloseinwiththelargeisland，ineighteenfathoms，wetookallwewantedonboardveryconveniently。CaptainGuyalsopurchasedofGlassfivehundredsealskinsandsomeivory。Weremainedhereaweek，duringwhichtheprevailingwindswerefromthenorthwardandwestward，andtheweathersomewhathazy。OnthefifthofNovemberwemadesailtothesouthwardandwestward，withtheintentionofhavingathoroughsearchforagroupofislandscalledtheAuroras，respectingwhoseexistenceagreatdiversityofopinionhasexisted。
　　Theseislandsaresaidtohavebeendiscoveredasearlyas1762，bythecommanderoftheshipAurora。In1790，CaptainManueldeOyarvido，，intheshipPrincess，belongingtotheRoyalPhilippineCompany，sailed，asheasserts，directlyamongthem。In1794，theSpanishcorvetteAtrevidawentwiththedeterminationofascertainingtheirprecisesituation，and，inapaperpublishedbytheRoyalHydrographicalSocietyofMadridintheyear1809，thefollowinglanguageisusedrespectingthisexpedition：“ThecorvetteAtrevidapractised，intheirimmediatevicinity，fromthetwenty-firsttothetwenty-seventhofJanuary，allthenecessaryobservations，andmeasuredbychronometersthedifferenceoflongitudebetweentheseislandsandtheportofSoledadintheManillas。Theislandsarethree，theyareverynearlyinthesamemeridian；thecentreoneisratherlow，andtheothertwomaybeseenatnineleagues’distance。”
　　TheobservationsmadeonboardtheAtrevidagivethefollowingresultsastheprecisesituationofeachisland。Themostnorthernisinlatitude52degrees37’24“S。，longitude47degrees，43’15“W。；
　　themiddleoneinlatitude53degrees2’40“S。，longitude47degrees55’15“W。；andthemostsoutherninlatitude53degrees15’22“S。，longitude47degrees57’15“W。
　　Onthetwenty-seventhofJanuary，1820，CaptainJamesWeddel，oftheBritishnavy，sailedfromStatenLandalsoinsearchoftheAuroras。Hereportsthat，havingmadethemostdiligentsearchandpassednotonlyimmediatelyoverthespotsindicatedbythecommanderoftheAtrevida，butineverydirectionthroughoutthevicinityofthesespots，hecoulddiscovernoindicationofland。Theseconflictingstatementshaveinducedothernavigatorstolookoutfortheislands；and，strangetosay，whilesomehavesailedthrougheveryinchofseawheretheyaresupposedtoliewithoutfindingthem，therehavebeennotafewwhodeclarepositivelythattheyhaveseenthem；andevenbeencloseinwiththeirshores。ItwasCaptainGuy’sintentiontomakeeveryexertionwithinhispowertosettlethequestionsooddlyindispute。{*3}
　　Wekeptonourcourse，betweenthesouthandwest，withvariableweather，untilthetwentiethofthemonth，whenwefoundourselvesonthedebatedground，beinginlatitude53degrees15’S。，longitude47
　　degrees58’W-thatistosay，verynearlyuponthespotindicatedasthesituationofthemostsouthernofthegroup。Notperceivinganysipofland，wecontinuedtothewestwardoftheparalleloffifty-threedegreessouth，asfarasthemeridianoffiftydegreeswest。Wethenstoodtothenorthasfarastheparalleloffifty-twodegreessouth，whenweturnedtotheeastward，andkeptourparallelbydoublealtitudes，morningandevening，andmeridianaltitudesoftheplanetsandmoon。HavingthusgoneeastwardlytothemeridianofthewesterncoastofGeorgia，wekeptthatmeridianuntilwewereinthelatitudefromwhichwesetout。Wethentookdiagonalcoursesthroughouttheentireextentofseacircumscribed，keepingalookoutconstantlyatthemasthead，andrepeatingourexaminationwiththegreatestcareforaperiodofthreeweeks，duringwhichtheweatherwasremarkablypleasantandfair，withnohazewhatsoever。Ofcoursewewerethoroughlysatisfiedthat，whateverislandsmighthaveexistedinthisvicinityatanyformerperiod，novestigeofthemremainedatthepresentday。SincemyreturnhomeIfindthatthesamegroundwastracedover，withequalcare，in1822，byCaptainJohnson，oftheAmericanschoonerHenry，andbyCaptainMorrellintheAmericanschoonerWasp-inbothcaseswiththesameresultasinourown。
　　IthadbeenCaptainGuy’soriginalintention，aftersatisfyinghimselfabouttheAuroras，toproceedthroughtheStraitofMagellan，andupalongthewesterncoastofPatagonia；butinformationreceivedatTristand’Acunhainducedhimtosteertothesouthward，inthehopeoffallinginwithsomesmallislandssaidtolieabouttheparallelof60degreesS。，longitude41degrees20’W。Intheeventofhisnotdiscoveringtheselands，hedesigned，shouldtheseasonprovefavourable，topushontowardthepole。Accordingly，onthetwelfthofDecember，wemadesailinthatdirection。OntheeighteenthwefoundourselvesaboutthestationindicatedbyGlass，andcruisedforthreedaysinthatneighborhoodwithoutfindinganytracesoftheislandshehadmentioned。Onthetwenty-first，theweatherbeingunusuallypleasant，weagainmadesailtothesouthward，withtheresolutionofpenetratinginthatcourseasfaraspossible。Beforeenteringuponthisportionofmynarrative，itmaybeaswell，fortheinformationofthosereaderswhohavepaidlittleattentiontotheprogressofdiscoveryintheseregions，togivesomebriefaccountoftheveryfewattemptsatreachingthesouthernpolewhichhavehithertobeenmade。
　　ThatofCaptainCookwasthefirstofwhichwehaveanydistinctaccount。In1772hesailedtothesouthintheResolution，accompaniedbyLieutenantFurneauxintheAdventure。InDecemberhefoundhimselfasfarasthefifty-eighthparallelofsouthlatitude，andinlongitude26degrees57’E。Herehemetwithnarrowfieldsofice，abouteightorteninchesthick，andrunningnorthwestandsoutheast。Thisicewasinlargecakes，andusuallyitwaspackedsocloselythatthevesselhadgreatdifficultyinforcingapassage。AtthisperiodCaptainCooksupposed，fromthevastnumberofbirdstobeseen，andfromotherindications，thathewasinthenearvicinityofland。Hekeptontothesouthward，theweatherbeingexceedinglycold，untilhereachedthesixty-fourthparallel，inlongitude38
　　degrees14’W……Herehehadmildweather，withgentlebreezes，forfivedays，thethermometerbeingatthirty-six。InJanuary，1773，thevesselscrossedtheAntarcticcircle，butdidnotsucceedinpenetratingmuchfarther；foruponreachinglatitude67degrees15’
　　theyfoundallfartherprogressimpededbyanimmensebodyofice，extendingallalongthesouthernhorizonasfarastheeyecouldreach。Thisicewasofeveryvariety-andsomelargefloesofit，milesinextent，formedacompactmass，risingeighteenortwentyfeetabovethewater。Itbeinglateintheseason，andnohopeentertainedofroundingtheseobstructions，CaptainCooknowreluctantlyturnedtothenorthward。
　　IntheNovemberfollowingherenewedhissearchintheAntarctic。Inlatitude59degrees40’hemetwithastrongcurrentsettingtothesouthward。InDecember，whenthevesselswereinlatitude67degrees31’，longitude142degrees54’W。，thecoldwasexcessive，withheavygalesandfog。Herealsobirdswereabundant；
　　thealbatross，thepenguin，andthepeterelespecially。Inlatitude70degrees23’somelargeislandsoficewereencountered，andshortlyafterwardthecloudstothesouthwardwereobservedtobeofasnowywhiteness，indicatingthevicinityoffieldice。Inlatitude71degrees10’，longitude106degrees54’W。，thenavigatorswerestopped，asbefore，byanimmensefrozenexpanse，whichfilledthewholeareaofthesouthernhorizon。Thenorthernedgeofthisexpansewasraggedandbroken，sofirmlywedgedtogetherastobeutterlyimpassible，andextendingaboutamiletothesouthward。Behinditthefrozensurfacewascomparativelysmoothforsomedistance，untilterminatedintheextremebackgroundbygiganticrangesoficemountains，theonetoweringabovetheother。CaptainCookconcludedthatthisvastfieldreachedthesouthernpoleorwasjoinedtoacontinent。Mr。J。N。Reynolds，whosegreatexertionsandperseverancehaveatlengthsucceededingettingsetonfootanationalexpedition，partlyforthepurposeofexploringtheseregions，thusspeaksoftheattemptoftheResolution。“WearenotsurprisedthatCaptainCookwasunabletogobeyond71degrees10’，butweareastonishedthathedidattainthatpointonthemeridianof106
　　degrees54’westlongitude。Palmer’sLandliessouthoftheShetland，latitudesixty-fourdegrees，andtendstothesouthwardandwestwardfartherthananynavigatorhasyetpenetrated。Cookwasstandingforthislandwhenhisprogresswasarrestedbytheice；which，weapprehend，mustalwaysbethecaseinthatpoint，andsoearlyintheseasonasthesixthofJanuary-andweshouldnotbesurprisedifaportionoftheicymountainsdescribedwasattachedtothemainbodyofPalmer’sLand，ortosomeotherportionsoflandlyingfarthertothesouthwardandwestward。”
　　In1803，CaptainsKreutzensternandLisiauskyweredispatchedbyAlexanderofRussiaforthepurposeofcircumnavigatingtheglobe。Inendeavouringtogetsouth，theymadenofartherthan59degrees58’，inlongitude70degrees15’W。Theyheremetwithstrongcurrentssettingeastwardly。Whaleswereabundant，buttheysawnoice。Inregardtothisvoyage，Mr。Reynoldsobservesthat，ifKreutzensternhadarrivedwherehedidearlierintheseason，hemusthaveencounteredice-itwasMarchwhenhereachedthelatitudespecified。
　　Thewinds，prevailing，astheydo，fromthesouthwardandwestward，hadcarriedthefloes，aidedbycurrents，intothaticyregionboundedonthenorthbyGeorgia，eastbySandwichLandandtheSouthOrkneys，andwestbytheSouthShetlandislands。
　　In1822，CaptainJamesWeddell，oftheBritishnavy，withtwoverysmallvessels，penetratedfarthertothesouththananypreviousnavigator，andthis，too，withoutencounteringextraordinarydifficulties。Hestatesthatalthoughhewasfrequentlyhemmedinbyicebeforereachingtheseventy-secondparallel，yet，uponattainingit，notaparticlewastobediscovered，andthat，uponarrivingatthelatitudeof74degrees15’，nofields，andonlythreeislandsoficewerevisible。Itissomewhatremarkablethat，althoughvastflocksofbirdswereseen，andotherusualindicationsofland，andalthough，southoftheShetlands，unknowncoastswereobservedfromthemastheadtendingsouthwardly，Weddelldiscouragestheideaoflandexistinginthepolarregionsofthesouth。
　　Onthe11thofJanuary，1823，CaptainBenjaminMorrell，oftheAmericanschoonerWasp，sailedfromKerguelen’sLandwithaviewofpenetratingasfarsouthaspossible。OnthefirstofFebruaryhefoundhimselfinlatitude64degrees52’S。，longitude118degrees27’E。Thefollowingpassageisextractedfromhisjournalofthatdate。“Thewindsoonfreshenedtoaneleven-knotbreeze，andweembracedthisopportunityofmakingtothewest，；beinghoweverconvincedthatthefartherwewentsouthbeyondlatitudesixty-fourdegrees，thelessicewastobeapprehended，westeeredalittletothesouthward，untilwecrossedtheAntarcticcircle，andwereinlatitude69degrees15’E。Inthislatitudetherewasnofieldice，andveryfewiceislandsinsight。
　　UnderthedateofMarchfourteenthIfindalsothisentry。Theseawasnowentirelyfreeoffieldice，andtherewerenotmorethanadozeniceislandsinsight。Atthesametimethetemperatureoftheairandwaterwasatleastthirteendegreeshighermoremildthanwehadeverfounditbetweentheparallelsofsixtyandsixty-twosouth。Wewerenowinlatitude70degrees14’S。，andthetemperatureoftheairwasforty-seven，andthatofthewaterforty-four。InthissituationIfoundthevariationtobe14degrees27’easterly，perazimuth……IhaveseveraltimespassedwithintheAntarcticcircle，ondifferentmeridians，andhaveuniformlyfoundthetemperature，bothoftheairandthewater，tobecomemoreandmoremildthefartherIadvancedbeyondthesixty-fifthdegreeofsouthlatitude，andthatthevariationdecreasesinthesameproportion。Whilenorthofthislatitude，saybetweensixtyandsixty-fivesouth，wefrequentlyhadgreatdifficultyinfindingapassageforthevesselbetweentheimmenseandalmostinnumerableiceislands，someofwhichwerefromonetotwomilesincircumference，andmorethanfivehundredfeetabovethesurfaceofthewater。”
　　Beingnearlydestituteoffuelandwater，andwithoutproperinstruments，itbeingalsolateintheseason，CaptainMorrellwasnowobligedtoputback，withoutattemptinganyfurtherprogresstothewestward，althoughanentirelyopen，sealaybeforehim。Heexpressestheopinionthat，hadnottheseoverrulingconsiderationsobligedhimtoretreat，hecouldhavepenetrated，ifnottothepoleitself，atleasttotheeighty-fifthparallel。Ihavegivenhisideasrespectingthesematterssomewhatatlength，thatthereadermayhaveanopportunityofseeinghowfartheywereborneoutbymyownsubsequentexperience。
　　In1831，CaptainBriscoe，intheemployoftheMessieursEnderby，whale-shipownersofLondon，sailedinthebrigLivelyfortheSouthSeas，accompaniedbythecutterTula。Onthetwenty-eighthofFebruary，beinginlatitude66degrees30’S。，longitude47