viii PREFACE 



Nimatak — an island of bare land in a snow-field. Where 

 an ice-sheet overlies the land, the summits of hills thrust 

 through the sheet present this appearance. 



Sastrugus — an irregularity formed by the wind on a snow- 

 plain. ' Snow- wave ' is not completely descriptive, as the 

 sastrugus has often a fantastic shape unlike the ordinary con- 

 ception of a wave. 



Ice-foot — properly applied to the low fringe of ice formed 

 about Polar lands by the sea-spray. I have used the term 

 much more widely, and perhaps improperly, in referring to the 

 banks of ice of varying height which skirt many parts of the 

 Antarctic shores, and which have no connection with sea- 

 spray. Mr. Ferrar gives some description of these in his 

 remarks on ice in Appendix I. 



Beyond explaining these few words I make no apology for 

 the style or absence of style of this book ; I have tried to tell 

 my tale as simply as possible, and I launch it with the con- 

 fidence that my readers will be sufficiently indulgent to its 

 faults in remembering the literary inexperience of its writer. 



For me the compilation of these pages has been so weighty 

 a matter that I must always feel the keenest gratitude to those 

 who assisted me in the task. I cannot think that the manu- 

 script would ever have been completed but for the advice and 

 encouragement I received from its publisher, Mr. Reginald 

 Smith, nor can I forget to thank Sir Clements Markham and 

 other friends for hints and criticisms by which I profited, and 

 Mr. Leonard Huxley for his judicious provision of the ' hooks 

 and eyes ' to many a random sentence. How much I owe to 

 those of my comrades who are responsible for the originals of 

 the illustrations, will be evident. 



R. F. S. 



Attgttst 2%th, 1905. 



