The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-07-21
WI il $ G G Ill "a m e Ouu s.
From the Sidney Herald, March IL.
DISCOVERY OF THE ANTARCTIC CON
'T{NENT

from me tot0ney f1erdId, March IL.
DISCOVERY OF THE ANTARCTIC CON
TiNENT.
Amongs the arrivals to he found in our shin
ping list of this day. is that of the United States
ship Vmcennes, under the command of Charles
Wilkes Esq. The Vincennes has been absent
from this port almost eighty days most of which
time has been spent in southern exploration, and
we are happy to have it in power 20 an.
nounce, on the highest authority, that the re-.
searches Of the exploring squadron after south
ern continent, have been completely successful.
The land was first seen the morning of the
18Th OF January, in latitude &C deg. 20 min.
south, longitude 154 deg. Is min. east
The Peacock, (Which ship arrived in our har
Dor on the 22d ultimo, much disabled from
her contact with the ice J obtained sounings in
high Southern latitude, and established be-
You'd doubt The existence Of land in that direc.
ton. But the Vncennes, more fortunate in es
Gaping injury, completed the discovery, and run
down the coast from l54 deg. IL min. to 81 deg
- min, east longitude, about seventeen him.
tlred miles within short distance Of the land
often so near as TO get soundings with few faith
oms Of line, during which time she was con.
stantly surrounded by ice islands and bergs,
and experenc ing many heavy gales Of wind
exposing her constantly to shipwreck. We al.
so understand that she has brought several spe.
cimens of rock and earth procured from the
land, some of them weighing upwards of one
hundred pounds
Ii is questionable whether the discovery can
be of any, essential service to commerce: hut it
cannot be otherwise than gratifying to Captain
Wilkes and the officers engaged with him i'm
ans most interesting expedition, TO have brought
TO successful termination the highest trust con,
United to them by their country, and it is hop
ed that 50 noble commencement i'm the cause
of science and discovery, will induce the govern
anent of the United States to follow up by other
expeditions that which is now OIL the point of
terminal ion.
We understand that the Vncennes will sail
on Sunday or Monday next for New Zealand,
where the Porpoise and Flying Fish will rejoin
her should they have been equally fortunate with
their two consorts in escaping from the ice.
The Peacock will follow coon as her repairs
are cotnpleted; whence they will all proceed in
tur,heranre Of the objects Of the expedition
We will only add, that we wish them God
speed. .t....5..
From the Ne,U York Journal of Commerce.
u. S. Ship Vincennes,
Sidney Habor. March 18th, 1910.
We arrived here yesterday from our Southern
cruise, upon the success Of which we all have
reason to congratulate ourselves We have dis
covered land within the Antarctic, and lruised
along the edge of the barrier ice Seeing the land
frequently upwards of seventy degrees OF iongi
tiide. All are convinced there is an extensive
Continent there. Whether it will be ofany ben
eft 10 mankind, not, time alone can show.
For my part, no inducements could he held
out that would make volunteer to return
there unless one or the Other vessels should have
been unfortunate enough to be wrecked, which
God forbid. We were unfortunate in not be
ing able to land, take possession, and plant the
stripes and stars.--When the weather permitted
us to do so, no oat could land the land being
very high, covered with snow, ana shopping
gradually 10 the water, where it terminated
by lee descending one hundred or two hundred
feet perpendcuarly.
The weather was, part of the time good; and
pnrt, blowing from fresh to heavy -:!cc viii,
thick snow storms, making inc navigation ex
aremely hazardous Oh account OF the ice .hergs
by which were generally surrounded. l
have at times counted 100 large ones from the
deck, without the aie of glass, taking no no
tice o t small ones. t,
We found the Peacock here, repairing: almost
a perfect wreck; having had her stern frame Ii II
ed, and all the timber broken above Tho main
deck, as far foi ward as the gang.way, rudder
knocked off, forefoot carried away, and plank
ing knocked up to within an inch aud "A half of
her wood ends. How she arrived here, il seems
impossible to conceive. did not suppose
vessel in her condition could hold together long
enough to do so. She caught in the ice,
and ammed by the closing of the passage after
she went in. hope that the brig and SCHOONER
yllave escaped, and that we shall fird them at
New Zealand. 'i H2'a '''
BY an arrival to. day from Hobart Town Van
Dieinan's Land) we learn that the French Elk
petition is there, and that they discovered land
the same day we did, in &c s. and 100 East. IT,
is no doubt continuation of what we saw; and
will render the honor of being first, disputed for
some time. do not think they can boast much
as they were satisfied with sing lie sight, owing
TO the Zeless's being near lost. Ne have coast.
ed the Continent 1900 miles. We have been.
very cordially received by the people OF this
place, and they were determined to have us
first, whether or no. we leave for the Bay OF
islands on Sunday. ha H.. stl,3 :. b,,7s5.a3
We expect to be at The, Sandwich Islands in
July and again in Jan lS4l.oilAfler1 that, 10
Manila for a month or TWO, thence to. Singa-
pore, Angler point, and Cape of Good Hope,
PRooF FROM HoLY WRIr.--it was said al
Professor B., that he could bring text OF