142 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [July 



loop between points two or three hundred yards apart. Then 

 at each end of the loop he starts to dig a large hole ; this is the 

 work of several days, and meanwhile the ice along the crack 

 has become solid and thick, but this does not matter when 

 once he has got what he wants — namely, two holes connected 

 by a line which passes underneath the ice. 



* Later on, when the holes are completed and shelters have 

 been erected about them, the more important work commences. 

 A net is secured to the line and lowered to the bottom at one 

 hole, whilst at the other the line is manned and gradually 

 hauled in ; thus the net is dragged along the bottom to the 

 second hole, where it is hoisted out and its contents emptied 

 into a vessel. Then the process is repeated by hauling the 

 net back to the first hole. Finally the vessel, usually an old 

 tin-lined packing-case, wath its precious contents of animals 

 buried in a mass of hardening slush, is sledged back to the ship 

 and deposited close to the w^ardroom fire. 



* On the following day the table is littered with an array of 

 glass jars and dishes, with bottles of alcohol, formalin, and 

 other preservatives, and soon we are able to examine the queer 

 denizens of our polar sea-floor, and to watch their contortions 

 as they are skilfully turned into specimens for the British 

 Museum.' 



^ July 31. — For some days there has scarcely been any 

 wind, and we have been able to enjoy delightful walks in the 

 light noontide. The northern horizon at this hour is dressed 

 in gorgeous red and gold, and the lands about are pink and 

 rosy with brightness of returning day. I am not sure that a 

 polar night is not worth the living through for the mere joy of 

 seeing the day come back. 



' The latest addition to our forces, in the shape of Mulock, 

 has been a great acquisition. In one way and another we have 

 collected a very large amount of surveying data, but the 

 trouble was that we none of us had sufficient knowledge to 

 chart it. Mulock came in the nick of time to supply the 

 deficiency ; he has been trained as a surveyor, and has extra- 

 ordinary natural abilities for the work. He has done an 



