i6 



SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 



[December 



about 80 feet In height, and tabular. It seemed to have been 

 calved at a comparatively recent date. 



Straight strata of hard white neve with ' intrusions ' of 

 blue ice. 



Twisted strata of blue ice. 



The above picture shows its peculiarities, and points to the 

 desirability of close examination of other berg faces. There 

 seemed to be a distinct difference of origin between the upper and 

 lower portions of the berg, as though a land glacier had been 

 covered by layer after layer of seasonal snow. Then again, what 

 I have described as ' intrusive layers of blue ice ' was a remark- 

 able feature; one could imagine that these layers represent sur- 

 faces which have been transformed by regelation under hot sun 

 and wind. 



This point required investigation. 



The second berg was distinguished by Innumerable vertical 

 cracks. These seemed to run criss-cross and to weaken the struc- 

 ture, so that the various seracs formed by them had bent to dif- 

 ferent angles and shapes, giving a very irregular surface to the 

 berg, and a face scarred with immense vertical fissures. 



One imagines that such a berg has come from a region of ice 

 disturbance such as King Edward's Land. 



We have seen a good many whales to-day, rorquals with high 

 black spouts — Balanoptera Sibbaldi. 



The birds with us: Antarctic and snow petrel — a fulmar — 

 and this morning Cape pigeon. 



We have pack ice farther north than expected,' and it's im- 

 possible to interpret the fact. One hopes that we shall not have 

 anything heavy, but I'm afraid there's not much to build upon. 

 10 P.M. — We have made good progress throughout the day, but 

 the ice streams thicken as we advance, and on either side of us 

 the pack now appears in considerable fields. We still pass quan- 



