We made rapid progress, and were soon in the latitude of Sandwich land, as laid
down in the charts, where we met with nothing but clear blue ocean. I hauled up
S. S. E., true course, and stood on as far as 68° South, making the best use of
my time by daylight, and drifting back upon my track during the short interval
of night. On the 2d Nov. in lat. 68½, we met with ice in detached fields; and
had strong gales from S. W. with raw, drizzly weather. I edged away to the
eastward, intending to keep near the ice, and hauled to the southward, when a
clear sea would permit. The first day, we kept the ‘blink of the ice’[1] in
sight, and found it to trend nearly East and West. Made no southing this day.
The second, we were enabled to haul up S. E. and by E. and continued this course
without nearing the ice. The following day, hauled up S. E., set the engine in
motion, and made rapid way; we observed this day at noon, in 75° 22′ S. I was
elated with the prospect of reaching a much higher southern latitude than any
former navigator had been able to gain, and pushed on as fast as canvas and
steam could drive my vessel.
Adam Seaborn, Symzonia: Voyage of Discovery
[1] ‘Blink of the ice.’—This is an arch formed upon the clouds by the reflection of light from the packed ice.