14 THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH POLE 



Naturally there were great expectations on board. 

 If they had penetrated so far south, there might be no 

 limit to their further progress. But, as had happened 

 so many times before, their hopes were disappointed. 

 From Ross Island, as far to the eastward as the eye 

 could see, there extended a lofty, impenetrable wall of 

 ice. To sail through it was as impossible as sailing 

 through the cliffs of Dover, Ross says in his description. 

 All they could do was to try to get round it. And 

 then began the first examination of that part of the 

 great Antarctic Barrier which has since been named 

 the Ross Barrier. 



The wall of ice was followed to the eastward for a 

 distance of 250 miles. Its upper surface was seen to 

 be perfectly flat. The most easterly point reached was 

 long. 167 W., and the highest latitude 78 4' S. Xo 

 opening having been found, the ships returned to the 

 west, in order to try once more whether there was any 

 possibility of reaching the Magnetic Pole. But this 

 attempt soon had to be abandoned on account of the 

 lateness of the season, and in April, 1841, Ross returned 

 to Hobart. 



His second voyage was full of dangers and thrilling 

 incidents, but added little to the tale of his discoveries. 



On February 22, 1842, the ships came in sight of 

 the Barrier, and, following it to the east, found that 

 it turned north-eastward. Here Ross recorded an 

 " appearance of land ' in the very region in which 



