CHOICE OF STATION 47 



be settled beforehand. The further progress of the 

 expedition could only be determined later, when the 

 work in the South was finished. 



My knowledge of the Ross Barrier was due to descrip- 

 tions alone; but I had so carefully studied all the 

 literature that treats of these regions, that, on first 

 encountering this mighty mass of ice, I felt as if I 

 had known it for many years. 



After thorough consideration, I fixed upon the Bay of 

 Whales as a winter station, for several reasons. In the 

 first place, because we could there go farther south in the 

 ship than at any other point a whole degree farther 

 south than Scott could hope to get in McMurdo Sound, 

 where he was to have his station. And this would be 

 of very great importance in the subsequent sledge 

 journey toward the Pole. Another great advantage 

 was that we came right on to our field of work, and 

 could see from our hut door the conditions and surface 

 we should have to deal with. Besides this, I was 

 justified in supposing that the surface southward from 

 this part of the Barrier would be considerably better, 

 and offer fewer difficulties than the piled-up ice along 

 the land. In addition, animal life in the Bay of Whales 

 was, according to the descriptions, extraordinarily rich, 

 and offered all the fresh meat we required in the form 

 of seals, penguins, etc. 



Besides these purely technical and material advantages 

 which the Barrier seemed to possess as a winter station, 



