264 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Feb. 



1 6th the 'Terra Nova' came alongside us to hand over her 

 supply. Thus a few hours after our release the two ships lay 

 snugly berthed together, busily securing whips and yards for 

 the transfer of coal which was to commence on the following 

 morning. The afternoon was beautifully calm and bright, and 

 the weather seemed to smile peacefully on the termination of 

 our long and successful struggle with the ice. We little 

 guessed what lay before us, and assuredly if ever the treacher- 

 ous nature of the Antarctic climate and the need for the 

 explorer to be constantly on guard were shown it was by our 

 experiences of the succeeding twenty-four hours, of which my 

 diary gives the following account : 



^February i6. — We have felt that our last act before leaving 

 the region which has been our home for so long should be one 

 of homage to the shipmate who sacrificed his life to our work. 

 We have had a large wooden cross prepared for some time ; 

 it bears a simple carved inscription to the memory of poor 

 Vince, and yesterday it was erected on the summit of Hut 

 Point, so firmly that I think in this undecaying climate it 

 will stand for centuries. To-day our small company landed 

 together for the last time, and stood bareheaded about this 

 memorial whilst I read some short prayers. It was calm, but 

 the sky had become heavily overcast and light snow was 

 falling on our heads. The little ceremony brought sad re- 

 collections, but perhaps also a feeling of gratitude for escapes 

 from many accidents which might well have added to the 

 single name which the memorial bears. 



* The water was oily calm as we pulled back to the ship, 

 and the sky very gloomy and threatening, but this sort of 

 weather has been so common we thought little of it. It had 

 been decided that as to-day was the first time Captain MacKay 

 had set foot on board the " Discovery," we should show him 

 and his officers what an Antarctic feast was like. Accordingly 

 by dinner-time our cooks had prepared very savoury dishes of 

 seal and penguin, and we sat down, a very merry party, to 

 discuss them. In the midst of dinner word came down that 

 the wind had sprung up, and» although I did not expect to 



