The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-07-10

4 I'll
We have to acknowledge the receipt Of a.
French letter, containing a succinct aecount-of
htte expedition Of the two French corvettes, the
Astrolabc and Zelee, under the command Of conf
mo dore UUrvlile, which, from its length, and.
the late hOuv at which a reached our Office, we
are unable to- give in type this week. Our read
ers will be pleased to learn, that the exertions of
the French Commodore have keen crowned with
success. On the evening of the 18th January.
in latitude 6S' deg. S., aGd about 100 deg. east
longitude, laral' was descsibedS and on the 21st
the two corvettes approached to within five OIL
six miles, and two boats csews put off to collect
specimens of rock. from yoint lVlzich was clear
of ice. The land is described as stretching from
the south to the, w. S. w. asfhraSthe eye could
discern ComLaDdere D'UHvills was DESTROYS of
continuing his discoveries, BUT was stopped on
the 23rd by a bank off ice stfotchfng out from
the land directly north to aa immense distance,
and was consequently compelled to alter his
course. The following day the, vessels encoun-
tered a most furious gale OF! wind during which
the Ielee very narrowly eseapedsbemg wreck
ed: Further progress was prevented BY Qa BAN
quise) which numbered any further progress to-
wards the SOUTH Although not'mueA will have
been gained by this enterpriseingnint Of utility,
it will add greatly to our geographical and
scientific knowledge. 1t doss+not appear that
any living beings animals exist in these cold
and dreary regions ; not a. seal was seen,
nor any very useful kind of whale. Captain
Dumont DUrville has, by this4discovery, earn
ed an additional titleto the honors Of his
try, distinguished as his name has already been
in scientific navigation. CHE Astrolabe and
Zelee had arrived at Hobart T6wn-)
POSTSCRIPT.
Z Since putting the above in type, 1--WE have been
favored with tie annexed letter from an officer
of the Yircennes, which, with some variations
from the newspaper statement, contains many
additional particulars.
u S. SFnR VINCENNEs,
Sidney Harbour, March, 18th, 1S40
We arrived here yesterday from our Southern
cruise, upon She success of Which we all have
reason to congratulate ourselves. We have dis
covered land within the Antarctic, and cruised
along the edge of the barrier ice (sceing the land
frequently upwards. of seventy degrees of lon
gitude. All are convinced there is an extensive
continent there. Whether it will be Of any be-
nefit to mankind, not, TINA alone show.
For my part, no inducements could be held out
that would make me volunteer to return there,
unless one of the other vessels should have been
unfortunate enough to be wrecked, which God
forbid. We were unfortunate in not being able
to land, take possession, and plant the stripes
and stars When the weather permitted us to do
so, no boat could d,~-the land being very
high, covered with snow, and sloping gradually
to the water, where it was terminated by ice,
descending one hundred or two hundred feet per
pendiculaFly.
The weather was part of the time good, and
part blowing from fresh to heavy gales, with.
thick storms, making the navigation ex-'
trcmely hazardous, on account of the ice-bergs
by which we were generally surrounded. have
at times counted 100 large ones from the declSe
without the aid of glass, taking no notice Of
small ones
We found the Peacock here, repairing, almost
a perfect wreck, having had her stern frame lift
ed, and all the timhers broken above the main
deck, as far forward the gang-way; rudder
knocked off, forefoot carried away, and plank
ing knocked up to within an inch and half of
her wood ends. How she arrived here, It seems
impossible to conceive. | did not suppose YES
sol in her condition could hold together long
enough to do so. She was caught in the ice, and
famed by the closing of the passage after she went
in. | hope that the brig and schooner have es-
capped, and that we shall find them at New Zeal
and.
BY an arrival to-day from Hobart-Town (van
DieInens Land) we learn that the French expo
dition is there and that they discovered land the
same day we did, in &C south, and 100 east. It
is no doubt a continuation of what saw; and
Will render the honor of being first, disputed for
some time. do not think they can boast much,
as they satisfied with siagle sight, owing
to the Zelee being lost. We have coasted
the continent 1900 miles, We have been
very cordially received by the people of this
place, and they determined to have us first,
whether or We leave for the Bay of Islands
on Sunday.
We expect to be at the Sandwich Islands in
July, and again in January, 1S41 After that,
to Manila for a month two, thence to Snga-
pore, Angler Point, and Cape of Good Hope.
March 13th.-The ship did not sail as expect
ed, this morning. enclose you slip from the
paper, giving an account of our southern trip.