Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-06-11
IN SOUTHERN SEAS.
The ruise of the Pilots Bride In
n Antarctic ocean.

Elisha j. Chapman, mate OF the
whaling vessel Pilots Bride, writes
to the New London Telegraph:
The cruise in the vast solitudes OF
the southern ocean just made by
Capt. Fuller in the Pilots Bride has
been a most interesting one. AS a
matter of fact, we believe that no
whaler has ever been as far south as
68 degrees before. The Challenger,
her famous cruise, went further
south than that, having found open
ings in the ice through which She
could steam, but no merchantmen
has ever before navigated that almost
unknown region. Leaving the South
Shetland Islands in September last,
Capt. Fuller took his vessel down to
the ice packs, and there saw high,
mountainous land extending like a
coast line for miles and miles. One
of these mountains was an active vol
cano, which presented q magnificent
spectacle at night. The land trended
nearly northwest and southeast.
Many Intellectual attempts were made
to reach the shore. but all in vain,
the ice barrier proving impenetrable,
and it was impossible to land a
rarty on the Ice and thus reach the
coast, owing to the tremendous sea
running all the time, caused by the
almost constant gales of wind blow
ing in hat almost inhospitable part
of the globe. Perhaps a landing on
the Antarctic continent might be
made in December or January, when
the weather is more moderate, but
Capt. Fuller Is of opinion that such a
feat is almost impossible, as the coast
is Lemmed in the year round by all
ice barrier, against which the sea
breaks, even IN moderate weather,
with tremendous force. Finding no
chance of getting to The land, Capt.
Fuller then sklrted along down the
ice barrier to Sandwich land, some
eight degrees further north. This
island is of volcanic origin, and of no
great extent. A landing was made
here, aud some seals were secured,
but these amphibious animals have,
in great part, been hunted away
from this place. Sea elephants were
also found at this island, and q good
number killed for their oil, OF which
valuable commodity Eve hundred
aud forty barrels were secured.
From Sandwich land the Pilots
Bride sailed porthward to Kerguelen,
via the Circumcision islands (tWo
small islets). No one at Kerguelen
when Capt. Fuller visited that place
in January last, but he found the
houses left by the British, German
| and American transit of Venus ex.
| petitions still standing, and some OF
| tI,,vo -, n f<,locohln otufn ~ roroi,s
The houses + ball wooden ones,
aud were put up IN 1875. The guide
board left by II. NJ. S. Comus about
year ago was still standing in a con
spicuous point overlooking Christ.
mas harbor. On the board there
was the announcement of the captain
of the Comus that he visit the island
in order to pick up any shipwrecked
mariners that might have been cas-
away, but there was nothing sale
about his having found any at Ker'
guelen. On this island there ART
millions of penguin eggs, which 60 Il
waste every year, but there is nj
guano, owing to the PERCEPTIONS
nature of the mountains aud tn,
quantity of rain aud snow that falls
washing away the guano into th'
sea. From Kerguelen the Pilot,
Bride left for Table bay, where sh,
is now lying ready for sea, it beius
the intention of Capt. Fuller to max
another cruise to the southwark of
similar character to that just com
pleted. 1t is well to add to thi
brief account that the forty pairs o
rabbits and the twelve goats tina
were taken from Capetown to Ker
guelen iu 1875 have thrived wonder
fully. the island fairly swarmed will
rabbits, while the goats numbered
some hundreds. Teal dHck are foun'
about the island in large flocks, an
what with roast kid and duck, an'
stewed rabbit, and plenty of Kel
!, guelen cabbage. Capt. Fuller's cre'
of tw%enty-eight men had an agrees
BILE change i'll their diet while at kel
Quelen.