ANTARCTIC VOYAGE OF THE BELGICA. 



387 



(6^ feet), or, in the case of ice several years old, not more than 3 to 4 

 meters (10 to 13 feet) in thickness. The freezing action clearly tends 

 to a limit which can not be surpassed, however low the temperature. 

 This is the invariable result of measurements in the arctic regions, and 

 it is entirely supported by our measurements during our wintering in 

 the antarctic. 



The greatest cold we experienced occurred in September; on the 8th 

 the thermometer sank to —13° C. (—45.1° F.), an extreme temperature 

 when one considers that we were very far from land, and only in 71° south 

 latitude. We took advantage of the sunshine when it came, following 

 the example of the seals, who lay motionless on the ice for hours together 

 enjoying sun baths. When there was no wind we felt warm at a tem- 

 perature of -15° C. (5° F.), and even 25° C. (-13° F.), which is easy 

 to understand, as evidently 

 the temperature of the air 

 did not indicate all the heat 

 we felt, and we had only to 

 go into the shadow to feel 

 the difference. 



In the antarctic there are 

 strong equinoctial storms, 

 which follow close upon one 

 another. The storms which 

 preceded the establishment 

 of the summer regime were 

 accompanied by tremendous 

 snowdrifts, and as the Bel- 

 gica presented an obstacle to 

 these, large quantities of 

 snow accumulated, and at 



length almost buried her. It became necessary to extricate her, and 

 the work had to be done quickly, as she threatened to sink gradually, 

 dragged down by the inclosing ice. 



Until December we had every confidence that the sun would melt 

 the ice and break up the floes to such an extent that we could make 

 our escape easily. But when December had passed, and the sun made 

 his daily tour of the horizon without melting anything, we felt our- 

 selves deceived; there we remained, at the mercy of fate, helpless in 

 the middle of an ice field several miles in circumference. We attacked 

 our floe with the explosives with which the expedition was provided, 

 but with no effect. A careful examination of our floe fortunately 

 revealed an old fracture, elose astern of the ship, on which the ice was 

 only from H to 2 meters (4.9 to 6.6 feet) in thickness. Along this we 

 cut a channel 700 meters (2,297 feet) long, and wide enough to allow 

 the passage of the ship. The task was long and arduous, but as it was 



