In the afternoon of the 13th the wind increased, the sky became clouded, and soon after we had a very heavy fall of snow, which continued till eight or nine o’clock in the evening, when the wind abating and veering to S. E., the sky cleared up, and we had a fair night, attended with so sharp a frost, that the water in all our vessels on deck was next morning covered with a sheet of ice. The mercury in the thermometer was as low as 29°, which is 3° below freezing, or rather 4; for we generally found the water freeze when the mercury stood at 33°. Towards noon on the 14th, the wind veering to the south, increased to a very strong gale, and blew in heavy squalls, attended with snow. At intervals, between the squalls, the weather was fair and clear, but exceedingly cold. We continued to steer east, inclining a little to the north, and in the afternoon crossed the first meridian, or that of Greenwich, in the latitude of 57° 50ʹ S. At eight in the evening, we close-reefed the top-sails, took in the main-sail, and steered east, with a very hard gale at S. S. W., with a high sea from the same direction. At day-break on the 15th, we set the main-sail, loosed a reef out of each top-sail, and with a very strong gale at S. W. and fair weather, steered E. N. E. till noon, at which time we were in the latitude of 56° 37ʹ S., longitude 4° 11ʹ east, when we pointed to the N. E., in order to get into the latitude of Cape Circumcision. Some large ice-islands were in sight, and the air was nearly as cold as on the preceding day. At eight o’clock in the evening, shortened sail, and at eleven hauled the wind to the N. W., not daring to stand on in the night, which was foggy, with snow-showers, and a smart frost. At day-break on the 16th, we bore away N. E. with a light breeze at west, which, at noon, was succeeded by a calm and fair weather. Our latitude at this time was 55° 26ʹ S., longitude 5° 52ʹ east, in which situation we had a great swell from the southward, but no ice in sight. At one o’clock in the P. M., a breeze springing up at E. N. E., we stood to S. E. till six, then tacked, and stood to the north, under double-reefed top-sails and courses, having a very fresh gale, attended with snow and sleet, which fixed to the masts and rigging as it fell, and coated the whole with ice. On the 17th the wind continued veering by little and little to the south, till midnight, when it fixed at S. W. Being at this time in the latitude of 54° 20ʹ S., longitude 6° 33ʹ east, I steered east, having a prodigious high sea from the south, which assured us no land was near in that direction.