ii6 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Jan. 



selves that we had been right in expecting an inlet behind the 

 conspicuous mass of rock for which we had been steering. An 

 hour later, as we entered it, we met ice which had evidently 

 been formed inside and but recently broken up. It was per- 

 fectly smooth, showing absolutely no sign of pressure, and 

 therefore indicating what a secure wintering harbour the inlet 

 would make. But what struck us as most curious was that 

 every floe was a rectangle and looked as though it had been 

 purposely shaped with accuracy and precision ; it is difficult to 

 comprehend how an irregular ice-sheet can be broken naturally 

 in this manner; the swell which breaks it must be extremely 

 regular, and the ice-sheet must be astonishingly uniform. One 

 must infer also that very placid conditions exist in this well- 

 sheltered inlet both in winter and spring. 



As we gradually worked our way into the inlet we could 

 see on our right a few small crevassed glaciers between high 

 cliffs showing faulted rock strata, of which our geologist at this 

 time could make little. On the left and nearer shore the 

 steep slopes were formed of broken angular boulders, with here 

 and there the native rock peeping through. Two or three miles 

 ahead the inlet took a sharp turn to the left. As no boat 

 could be used in such an ice-strewn bay, we were forced to reach 

 the shore by other means, and a large party was soon bounding 

 from floe to floe, now and then encountering a breach too 

 wide to be leaped and having to raft themselves across. 



On shore we found that the boulders which had looked so 

 dingy from the ship were mostly composed of granite, and a 

 little chipping provided us with such a variety of this beautiful 

 crystalline rock that we afterwards named the inlet Granite 

 Harbour. Ice scratchings were visible on a few of the boulders, 

 but much weathering had taken place. 



Enclosed by so much bare rock capable of absorbing the 

 sun's rays, and well protected from the wind, this inlet is prob- 

 ably the most sheltered spot in many a league of coastline, 

 and in this calm, bright weather we thoroughly enjoyed our 

 run on shore, and, except for the ice in the bay, could have 

 imagined ourselves in a far milder climate. We found small 



