Within the next few days a shoal of whales known to sailors as the Right whale was sighted, and later in the month several other whales of various species with two threshers at work upon one of them were seen.
On the 23rd Vancouver's track was crossed, and then Grant gave orders for a strict look-out for land to be kept from the masthead by night and day.
Still the Australian coast remained invisible.
On the 29th the sea was so calm that there was not a ripple on its surface, and nothing worth noting occurred until December 1st, when a large spermaceti whale passed, and at 3 P.M.a seal.

At 5 P.M.

another appeared; this seal swam after the ship for some time, gazing after it in a curious way and shaking its head as it leapt from the water.

On December 2nd the birds which till then had followed the ship disappeared, and in the evening a horse-fly settled on the main-sail and showed that land was near.

The same night heavy squalls arose and blew until morning.
At 8 A.M., to the great joy of all on board, land was sighted from the masthead.