That of Captain Cook was the first of which we have any distinct account. In 1772 he sailed to the south in the Resolution, accompanied by Lieutenant6 Furneaux in the Adventure. In December he found himself as far as the fifty-eighth parallel of south latitude7, and in longitude 26 degrees 57’ E. Here he met with narrow fields of ice, about eight or ten inches thick, and running northwest and southeast. This ice was in large cakes, and usually it was packed so closely that the vessel8 had great difficulty in forcing a passage. At this period Captain Cook supposed, from the vast number of birds to be seen, and from other indications, that he was in the near vicinity of land. He kept on to the southward, the weather being exceedingly cold, until he reached the sixty-fourth parallel, in longitude 38 degrees 14’ W.. Here he had mild weather, with gentle breezes, for five days, the thermometer being at thirty-six. In January, 1773, the vessels9 crossed the Antarctic circle, but did not succeed in penetrating much farther; for upon reaching latitude 67 degrees 15’ they found all farther progress impeded10 by an immense body of ice, extending all along the southern horizon as far as the eye could reach. This ice was of every variety — and some large floes of it, miles in extent, formed a compact mass, rising eighteen or twenty feet above the water. It being late in the season, and no hope entertained of rounding these obstructions11, Captain Cook now reluctantly turned to the northward12.
In the November following he renewed his search in the Antarctic. In latitude 59 degrees 40’ he met with a strong current setting to the southward. In December, when the vessels were in latitude 67 degrees 31’, longitude 142 degrees 54’ W., the cold was excessive, with heavy gales13 and fog. Here also birds were abundant; the albatross, the penguin14, and the peterel especially. In latitude 70 degrees 23’ some large islands of ice were encountered, and shortly afterward15 the clouds to the southward were observed to be of a snowy whiteness, indicating the vicinity of field ice. In latitude 71 degrees 10’, longitude 106 degrees 54’ W., the navigators were stopped, as before, by an immense frozen expanse, which filled the whole area of the southern horizon. The northern edge of this expanse was ragged16 and broken, so firmly wedged together as to be utterly17 impassible, and extending about a mile to the southward. Behind it the frozen surface was comparatively smooth for some distance, until terminated in the extreme background by gigantic ranges of ice mountains, the one towering above the other. Captain Cook concluded that this vast field reached the southern pole or was joined to a continent. Mr. J. N. Reynolds, whose great exertions18 and perseverance19 have at length succeeded in getting set on foot a national expedition, partly for the purpose of exploring these regions, thus speaks of the attempt of the Resolution. “We are not surprised that Captain Cook was unable to go beyond 71 degrees 10’, but we are astonished that he did attain20 that point on the meridian21 of 106 degrees 54’ west longitude. Palmer’s Land lies south of the Shetland, latitude sixty-four degrees, and tends to the southward and westward22 farther than any navigator has yet penetrated23. Cook was standing24 for this land when his progress was arrested by the ice; which, we apprehend25, must always be the case in that point, and so early in the season as the sixth of January — and we should not be surprised if a portion of the icy mountains described was attached to the main body of Palmer’s Land, or to some other portions of land lying farther to the southward and westward.”
In 1803, Captains Kreutzenstern and Lisiausky were dispatched by Alexander of Russia for the purpose of circumnavigating the globe. In endeavouring to get south, they made no farther than 59 degrees 58’, in longitude 70 degrees 15’ W. They here met with strong currents setting eastwardly26. Whales were abundant, but they saw no ice. In regard to this voyage, Mr. Reynolds observes that, if Kreutzenstern had arrived where he did earlier in the season, he must have encountered ice — it was March when he reached the latitude specified27. The winds, prevailing28, as they do, from the southward and westward, had carried the floes, aided by currents, into that icy region bounded on the north by Georgia, east by Sandwich Land and the South Orkneys, and west by the South Shetland islands.
In 1822, Captain James Weddell, of the British navy, with two very small vessels, penetrated farther to the south than any previous navigator, and this, too, without encountering extraordinary difficulties. He states that although he was frequently hemmed29 in by ice before reaching the seventy-second parallel, yet, upon attaining30 it, not a particle was to be discovered, and that, upon arriving at the latitude of 74 degrees 15’, no fields, and only three islands of ice were visible. It is somewhat remarkable31 that, although vast flocks of birds were seen, and other usual indications of land, and although, south of the Shetlands, unknown coasts were observed from the masthead tending southwardly, Weddell discourages the idea of land existing in the polar regions of the south.
On the 11th of January, 1823, Captain Benjamin Morrell, of the American schooner32 Wasp33, sailed from Kerguelen’s Land with a view of penetrating as far south as possible. On the first of February he found himself in latitude 64 degrees 52’ S., longitude 118 degrees 27’ E. The following passage is extracted from his journal of that date. “The wind soon freshened to an eleven-knot breeze, and we embraced this opportunity of making to the west,; being however convinced that the farther we went south beyond latitude sixty-four degrees, the less ice was to be apprehended35, we steered36 a little to the southward, until we crossed the Antarctic circle, and were in latitude 69 degrees 15’ E. In this latitude there was no field ice, and very few ice islands in sight.
Under the date of March fourteenth I find also this entry. The sea was now entirely37 free of field ice, and there were not more than a dozen ice islands in sight. At the same time the temperature of the air and water was at least thirteen degrees higher (more mild) than we had ever found it between the parallels of sixty and sixty-two south. We were now in latitude 70 degrees 14’ S., and the temperature of the air was forty-seven, and that of the water forty-four. In this situation I found the variation to be 14 degrees 27’ easterly, per azimuth. . . . I have several times passed within the Antarctic circle, on different meridians38, and have uniformly found the temperature, both of the air and the water, to become more and more mild the farther I advanced beyond the sixty-fifth degree of south latitude, and that the variation decreases in the same proportion. While north of this latitude, say between sixty and sixty-five south, we frequently had great difficulty in finding a passage for the vessel between the immense and almost innumerable ice islands, some of which were from one to two miles in circumference39, and more than five hundred feet above the surface of the water.”
Being nearly destitute40 of fuel and water, and without proper instruments, it being also late in the season, Captain Morrell was now obliged to put back, without attempting any further progress to the westward, although an entirely open, sea lay before him. He expresses the opinion that, had not these overruling considerations obliged him to retreat, he could have penetrated, if not to the pole itself, at least to the eighty-fifth parallel. I have given his ideas respecting these matters somewhat at length, that the reader may have an opportunity of seeing how far they were borne out by my own subsequent experience.
In 1831, Captain Briscoe, in the employ of the Messieurs Enderby, whale-ship owners of London, sailed in the brig Lively for the South Seas, accompanied by the cutter Tula. On the twenty-eighth of February, being in latitude 66 degrees 30’ S., longitude 47 degrees 31’ E., he descried41 land, and “clearly discovered through the snow the black peaks of a range of mountains running E. S. E.” He remained in this neighbourhood during the whole of the following month, but was unable to approach the coast nearer than within ten leagues, owing to the boisterous42 state of the weather. Finding it impossible to make further discovery during this season, he returned northward to winter in Van Diemen’s Land.
In the beginning of 1832 he again proceeded southwardly, and on the fourth of February was seen to the southeast in latitude 67 degrees 15’ longitude 69 degrees 29’ W. This was soon found to be an island near the headland of the country he had first discovered. On the twenty-first of the month he succeeded in landing on the latter, and took possession of it in the name of William IV, calling it Adelaide’s Island, in honour of the English queen. These particulars being made known to the Royal Geographical43 Society of London, the conclusion was drawn44 by that body “that there is a continuous tract34 of land extending from 47 degrees 30’ E. to 69 degrees 29’ W. longitude, running the parallel of from sixty-six to sixty-seven degrees south latitude.” In respect to this conclusion Mr. Reynolds observes: “In the correctness of it we by no means concur45; nor do the discoveries of Briscoe warrant any such indifference46. It was within these limits that Weddel proceeded south on a meridian to the east of Georgia, Sandwich Land, and the South Orkney and Shetland islands.” My own experience will be found to testify most directly to the falsity of the conclusion arrived at by the society.
These are the principal attempts which have been made at penetrating to a high southern latitude, and it will now be seen that there remained, previous to the voyage of the Jane, nearly three hundred degrees of longitude in which the Antarctic circle had not been crossed at all. Of course a wide field lay before us for discovery, and it was with feelings of most intense interest that I heard Captain Guy express his resolution of pushing boldly to the southward.
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1
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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2
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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4
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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5
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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6
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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7
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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8
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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10
impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
obstructions
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| n.障碍物( obstruction的名词复数 )；阻碍物；阻碍；阻挠 | |
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12
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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13
gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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14
penguin
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| n.企鹅 | |
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15
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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16
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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18
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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19
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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20
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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meridian
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| adj.子午线的；全盛期的 | |
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22
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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23
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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24
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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25
apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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eastwardly
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| 向东，从东方 | |
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specified
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| adj.特定的 | |
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prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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29
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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30
attaining
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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31
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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32
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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33
wasp
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| n.黄蜂，蚂蜂 | |
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34
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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35
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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36
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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37
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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38
meridians
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| n.子午圈( meridian的名词复数 )；子午线；顶点；（权力，成就等的）全盛时期 | |
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39
circumference
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| n.圆周，周长，圆周线 | |
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40
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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41
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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42
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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43
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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44
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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45
concur
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| v.同意，意见一致，互助，同时发生 | |
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46
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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