1912] BACK TO NEW ZEALAND 265 
obtained—part of the side of a snow-capped mountain with the 
sun on it, a rarely beautiful sight, appearing to be quite detached 
from anything to do with the earth herself. Before this one of 
the beautiful little snowy petrels had appeared, telling of ice in 
the vicinity, so the course was altered more to the northward and, 
when the fog lifted, icebergs and smaller bits of ice were seen 
on the port hand. It is seldom these little birds are found away 
from the close vicinity of ice. 
Fires were put out on the 18th, a good offing having been 
made, tie position being 64° S:, 160° 12” E. 
Between the 21st and the 25th it blew hard, the climax being 
reached on Sunday night (the 24th), when a severe storm was 
raging, the most severe encountered by the ship dur- 
March 24, x Fite é ‘ 
1012, se ing her whole commission. It is a wonderful sight 
51’ S., 165° to see a comparatively small ship in a storm, particu- 
ae larly at night; the marvellous way she rides over 
waves that look as if they must break on board, together with the 
dense darkness in the heavy squalls, relieved only by the white 
crests of the waves as they break, is a sight that makes up for a 
considerable amount of discomfort. 
The gale was followed by two days’ calm, when Ponting was 
able to cinematograph the birds feeding close under the ship’s 
stern. 
March 26 zs 
and 27, 52° When off the coast of New Zealand a school of 
20’ S., 167° sperm whales was seen and followed for some time 
33 E. with the hopes of getting a photograph. The ani- 
mals, however, were too shy for the ship to approach within rea- 
sonable photographic range. 
At daybreak on April 1 the ship entered Akaroa harbour to 
despatch the telegrams with the season’s news. Here 
we learned of Amundsen’s success in his undertaking. 
On the 3rd she was berthed alongside the wharf 
in Lyttelton again, and, needless to say, received with true New 
Zealand hospitality. 
The season had in many ways been a hard one for the engine- 
room department, but they never failed the ship in any of the 
difficulties in which she found herself, and, although conditions 
were often disheartening, the hands kept as willing and cheerful 
as if everything was going well. 
Lieutenant Evans and Drake went home on expedition busi- 
April 1. 
Akaroa. 
