Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/15

VOYAGE

OF

H. M. S. EREBUS AND TERROR

TO THE

ANTARCTIC OCEAN,

1839–43.

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CHAPTER I.

The success which had attended our first season's 1841operations in the antarctic seas could not fail to raise our hopes and expectations of more extended discoveries on a second visit to those regions; but, as several months must elapse before the proper period for renewing our labours should arrive, we had abundance of time to repair any damages our ships had sustained, and to make all due preparation for the service we had yet to perform.

Upon examining the vessels, we were much gratified to find the injuries they had received amongst the southern ice were very inconsiderable, and placed so little below the line of flotation of the ships, as to be got at without rendering the operation of heaving them down necessary, and the repairs were well within the reach of our own