THE BARRIER SIGHTED 167 



of the southern sky announced that it was not far to the 

 goal we had been struggling to reach for five months. 

 At 2.30 p.m. we came in sight of the Great Ice Barrier. 

 Slowly it rose up out of the sea until we were face to 

 face with it in all its imposing majesty. It is difficult 

 with the help of the pen to give any idea of the im- 

 pression this mighty wall of ice makes on the observer 

 who is confronted with it for the first time. It is alto- 

 gether a thing which can hardly be described; but one 

 can understand very well that this wall of 100 feet in 

 height was regarded for a generation as an insuperable 

 obstacle to further southward progress. 



We knew that the theory of the Barrier's impregna- 

 bility had long ago been overthrown; there was an 

 opening to the unknown realm beyond it. This opening 

 the Bay of Whales ought to lie, according to the 

 descriptions before us, about a hundred miles to the 

 east of the position in which we were. Our course was 

 altered to true east, and during a cruise of twenty-four 

 hours along the Barrier we had every opportunity of 

 marvelling at this gigantic work of Nature. It was not 

 without a certain feeling of suspense that we looked 

 forward to our arrival at the harbour we were seeking. 

 What state should we find it in? Would it prove 

 impossible to land at all conveniently? 



One point after another was passed, but still our 

 anxious eyes were met by nothing but the perpendicular 

 wall. At last, on the afternoon of January 12, the 



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