Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-07-28
From the New York Mercury.
LATEST FROM THE EXPLORING ENPEDI
TION


The Exploring Expedition has covered
itself with glory. Captain Wilkes, in the
Vincennes, has ascertained, beyond all
question the existence Of a great Antarc-
tic Continent and has actually skirted along
It's coast throughout more than SO degrees
Of longitude. The particulars Of this i'm
portant discovery SO far as they are known
to us, are contained in the following ex-
tract from Sidney New South Wales)
paper Of March 18th, for which we are III
debtcd to Il commercial house, who re-
cciycd it from their Sidney correspondent.
The same paper also contains (trom the
Hobart-town Courior) Information of the
same Continent having been seen, on the
same dag, though in different longitude,
by the French Exploring expedition, but
the latter was unable to approach the coast
save at a single point, and does not appear
to have seen more than IL few miles of it,
whereas the American Expedition saw and
examined it, as before stated, for dis
lance Of more than 81 degrees Of longitude.
Probably the same continent was seen some
years ago by Captain flaming, (sce Fan
ning's Voyages, p. AL we subjoin the
Two extracts above referred to.
From the Sidney Herald, March l2h.
DISCOVERY OF THE ANTARCTIC
CONTINENT.
Amongst the arrivals to be found in our
shipping lis; Of this day, is that Of the u.
States ship Vinccnnes, under the command
OF Charles Wilkes, Esq. The Ninccnnes
has been absent from this port almost eigh-
~ days, most Of which time has been spent
in southern exploration, and we are happy
to have it in our power to announce on the
highest authority, that the researches Of
the exploring squadron after a southern
continent, have been completely success
ful. The land was first seen on the morn
ing of the 10Th of January, in a latitude
sc degrees 2O' south, longitude l54 deg.
IS east.
The Peacock, (Which ship arrived in
our harbor on the 22d ultimo, much disa-
bIcd from her contact with the ice,) we
lcrrn, obtained soundings in high south
crn latitude, and established beyond doubt
the existence Of land in that direction.-
But the Ninccnnes, more fortunate in c.:
Gaping injury, completed the discovery,
and run down tho coast from 154 deg. Is
to % deg. 45' east longitude, about seven
teen hundred miles, within Il short distance
of the land, often so near as TO get sound
ings with a few lathomS of line, during
which time she was constantly surrounded
by ice islands and bergs, and experiencing
many heavy gales of wind, exposing her
constantly to shipwrcck. We also under
stand that she has brought several spcci-
mems of rock and earth procured from the
land, some Of them weighing upwards Of
one hundred pounds.
1t is questionable whether the discovery
can be of any essential service to COM
mercc bat it cannot be otherwise than
gratifying to Capt. Wilkes and the officers
engaged with him in this most interesting
expedition, 10 have brought TO successful
termination the high trust committed to
them by their country, and 1t is hoped that
so noble n commencement in The cause Of
science and discovery, will induce the gov
crnmcnt Of the United States 10 follow up
by other expeditions that which is now on
the point Of termination.
We understand that the Nncenncs will
sail on Sunday or Monday next for New
Zealand, where tho Porpoisc and Flying
Fish will reioin her should they have
been equally fortunate with their two con-
sorts in escaping from the ice. The Pea
cock will follow rs soon as her repairs are
completed; VIII nee they will proceed in
iurtheranco of the object Of the expedition.
ANTIQUITIES OF AMERIcA.-We learn
from the New York Express, that Mr..
Stephens. u. S. Charge to Guatemala. and
j Of