#may 1840

[thecunnydiaries]

29th Friday

Blowing so hard we could not send a boat ashore with provisions for the Officers and men at the Observatories. Erebus nearly drifted aboard of. She let go her Sheet anchor.

[thecunnydiaries]

15th Friday

Squally. Sent hands to assist in warping the Erebus up the Harbour: anchored her ahead, a Snug berth. Working Party ashore house building, likes the taste of the wild cabbage much.

Plan of north part of Îles Kerguélen, showing Christmas Harbour

[thecunnydiaries]

13th Wednesday

Fore part of the Day fine. Made the Land in the Morning Watch: commenced beating up Christmas harbour at 9 AM, and Anchored after tacking 22 times in gallant Stile with a Stiff breeze. The passage is difficult & dangerous with the wind dead on end: there is a Stupendous Iron bound Rock on the Larboard hand nearly perpendicular. I Should say fifteen hundred feet high and the top appears to be a roost for birds as the Soil from them has besmeared the Sea face of it for a considerable way down. There is a great many runs of water down the rocks. The Erebus was lying in the mouth of the harbour, She having anchored Yesterday. At the entrance of the harbour there is a very Romantic looking Rock partialy detached from the main Land with a very natural looking Arch through it. It is on the Larboard hand, on the Starboard there is a very bold Cape about Six hundred feet high. Got boats out in the afternoon: Sent one on Shore, the crew brought off fourteen Penguins of the Jack Ass Specie, very Majestic looking fellows, Stood bolt upright like a Soldier: we Killed, Cooked and eat them and a very good Supper They made considering it was quick work, we were no ways particular. There appears to be a Sort of wild Cabbage growing which is good the say when Cooked.

HMS Terror entering Christmas Harbour, by J. Dayman, Mate in HMS Erebus

Campbell's notes:

Christmas Harbour, now Port Christmas, with its entrance in Latitude 48°41'S, Longitude 69°03'E, lies at the head of Baie de l'Oiseau at the northern end of Îles

Kerguélen, named by Captain Cook, since they entered the harbour on 25 December 1776. The bay was visited by M. de Rochegude, one of the officers of the Oiseau, on Kerguélen’s second voyage in January 1774. Beaglehole, The Journals..Resolution and Discovery, I, pp. 29–32.

Arch, now known as Pointe de l’Arche, although the arch has fallen in.

Wild cabbage, Hooker, The Botany I, pp. 238–41. Pringlea antiscorbutica. Ibid. p. 239. ‘This is perhaps the most interesting plant procured during the whole voyage performed in the Antarctic Seas, growing as it does upon an island the remotest from a continent, and yielding, besides this esculent, only seventeen other flowering plants.’ Ibid. p. 240. ‘The illustrious Cook first discovered and drew attention to the “Kerguelen’s Land Cabbage” during his first voyage, when accompanied by Mr. Anderson [William Anderson, 1750–78, Assistant surgeon and naturalist in Resolution, on Cook’s second voyage and surgeon and naturalist on his third voyage]. The latter gentleman drew up an account of some of the more remarkable plants which he collected there and in other islands, which are preserved in the Banksian Library; the present he designated as Pringlea in honour of Sir John Pringle [1707–82, Physician in ordinary to the King and President of the Royal Society], who wrote a work upon scurvy [A discourse upon some late improvements of the means for preserving the health of Mariners delivered at the anniversary meeting of the Royal Society, Nov. 1776. A copy of which was published in Cook A Voyage towards the South Pole.] The latter circumstance has induced me, at Mr Brown's suggestion, to assign the trivial name of antiscorbutica. The Pringlea is exceedingly abundant over all parts of the island … Its long rhizomata, often 3 or 4 feet long, lie along the ground; they are sometimes 2 inches in diameter, full of spongy and fibrous substance intermixed, of a half woody texture and with flavour of horse-radish, and bear at the extremity heads of leaves, sometime 18 inches across, so like those of the common cabbage that if growing in a garden with their namesakes in England they would not excite any particular attention; the outer leaves are coarse, loosely placed and spreading, the inner form a dense white heart, that tastes like mustard and cress, but is much coarser. … daily use was made of this vegetable, either cooked by itself or boiled with the ships' beef, pork, or pee-soup.’

[thecunnydiaries]

27 Wednesday

Blowing a hurricane with Short Lulls for a few minutes. Cleared Tiers. Captain's and other Officers Still on shore in Observatories: Very trying weather for them considering night and day without Beds.

[thecunnydiaries]

25th Monday

Forepart of the day fine. Went onshore Shooting; in the afternoon came on to Snow & blow very hard; got a good Soaking and had but little Sport. At Night blowing a complete hurricane. Capns and other Officers up all night in the observatories on Shore. I never heard it blow so hard as it has done this night. Veered away both Cables.

[thecunnydiaries]

31st Sunday

Fine. Captains onboard at Divisions: raining all night.

Campbell's notes: The Ship's Company would be fallen in by Divisions for inspection by the Captain. Instructions, 1833, p. 82, Captain, Discipline, Article 12 states: ‘He is to divide all the Ship’s Company, exclusive of the Marines, into Divisions. A Lieutenant is to command each division, who is to have under his orders as many Mates and Midshipmen as the number on board will admit. The Lieutenants are to attend to, and be responsible for, every thing related to the conduct of the Men of the divisions they command. They are to examine the state of their Clothes and Bedding, and are to see that they keep themselves clean; the Mates and Midshipmen to be attentive in superintending their subdivisions; and they are to report to the Captain whatever Men they find idle, dirty or profligate, that they may be admonished, or punished as circumstances require.’

[thecunnydiaries]

23rd Saturday

Fine but cold: Miscellaneous.

[thecunnydiaries]

17th Sunday

Blowing a gale all Day, but dry. I landed in the Evening on the rocks and had a chase after the Penguins, Several of which was caught. I forgot to mention divine Service: had vegetable soup served out.