The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-09-03
AMI EXPLORATIONS.
The Voyage of the british Ship Chna-
lenEer.--WiIkes'C Continent N Nos-
entry.

rhe Voyage OF the british Ship Chna-
Ienker.--WiIkes Continent N Nos-
entry.
From the New YorkIIerald. June2.
We publish below highly interesting
and important letter from Lieut.. llynes,
r. n, to DIR. Hayes, the well known Arc
tic explorer, giving an account of portion
tf the cruise Of the British ship Challenger,
which sailed from England two years ago
or voyage of discovery around the world.
Primarily the object of the voyage was to
obtain information Of the deep sea currents
of the ocean, to ascertain the Temperature
of the water at great depths and the life
which was there supported. The Chief in
Iortance attached TO the letter is. that il
shows the Challenger to have done away
~ith a considerable part Of Wilkes Antarc-
tic Continent, which, since we went to
scho"., has figured On the maps. In order
that is Importance may be the better APP
prcci.ted, we quote from Cap. Wilkes re
port Of the United States ExploriE. Expe-
titiun his remarks in relation to the dis
ccsery, 1t viii be observed that in COM
pounding longitude Capt. Wilkes recsuns
from Washington, while that cf TIE Chri-
lenger 10 reckoned from Greenwich. Wilkes
rays:
WINS FAMOUS DISCOVERY OF NEW
CONTINENT.
1hi. day, at noon (Jan. Il, f0), we
were in latitude % de-. % min. south,
longitude Sc deg. 2 min. east. Many
petrel-, sltstrOsScs, few whales, and Il
zeal were seen from the ship, and the water
was quite green.
lSth-rhe weather tins day was warm
BILE, with Ii sht westerly winl.; the temper
allure If air anl " .:er 3 IL Gc;asIcn
al squalls Of snow aud mist occurred, but
it va. at times clear. The water was still
olive green, and the other vessels occasion
ally in sight, beating to windward.
On the morning of the Och we found
ourselves IN a deep bay and the Peacock
=
u. m, we had moderate breeze. The
water WAS of a darker olive green AMI ha'.
muddy appearance. Lanl was now Ger
t.iniy visible from TIE Eincennss, both to
the southeast aad southwest. in the former
direction most distinctly. Both appeared
high. 1t was between and . in the morn
inv hon | Fnll, rI,nf >
Certainly land, and my own OPTION was
confirmed by that Of some Of the uldesl mud
most experienced seamen on board. The
officer of the morning watch, Lieut.. Alden,
sent twice and called my attention to it.
We were at this time in longitude ia deg
80 min. east, latitude &c deg. 90 min. south
The day was fine and at times quite clear,
with light winds. After d,viu, service
still saw the outlines of the land, unohang-
ed in form, but not so distinct as in the
morning. By noon found we were sag
ging on to the barrier. The boats were
lowered in consequence and the ship towed
off. The report from aloft was: "A CON
tnued barrier of ice around the bay and no
opening to be seen, having the western
point of it bearing to the northward of
west of us" | stood to the westward
TO pass around it, fully assured thu. the
Peacock would explare ali the outlines of
the bay.
The Peacock, at 3h. Som, according to
Capt. lIudsen's Journal, having got into
the drift ice, with barrier still ahead to
the west, tackled TO the southeast to work
up fer an immense mass, which bad every
appearance of land, and which was believ-
ed to be such by all on board. 1t was seen
beyond and towering above al ice island
that was from $50 to 200 feet ia hcsts t
1t bore from them about southwest aud
bad the appearance of being 1000 feet il
height. forming a sort of amphitheatre
looking gray and dark. and divided into
two distinct ridges or elevations through
out its entire extent, the whole being cover
ed with snow. As there was no probabili
ty OF getting nearer to it in TIL, quarter
they stood out of the bay. which was about
twenty miles deep, to proceed to the west
ward, hoping 20 get an opportunity to ap
proach the Object more closely on the othe
side. There being now no doubt in m,
mind OF the discovery of land, it gave al
exciting interest to the cruise that appear
ed to set aside all thought of fatigue, an,
to make every one willing to encounter an,
difficulty to effect a landing.
WHAT TIE CHALLENGER DISCOVERED.
MELBOURNE, March Il, 1874.
Ag Dear DR.. HayeS:-
We were directed to examin,
kersuelen, or Desolation Island, as Capt.
Cock called it, and to select an observator
site for the Transit of Venus Expedition
which is expected to arrive there toward
the end of the year. Heard or MacDoual
Island Was also to be explor, q, aud rs "
had to 90 30 far south Capt. Mares deie
mined TO 60 o little further, have look
the ice and endeavor to settle the doubtii
question as to the existence of Wilke
Termination Land" But we were in I
way prepared to enter pack ice, as the shi
Sketches of this lard VIII be seea IN t.s All
VI TIE S-aIt o. tie aniaEisc to1lIleGt.