I904 A GALE COMMENCES 265 



find anything serious I thought it as well to go up and see 

 how the land lay. On stepping out into the open, however, 

 I saw we were in for a stiff blow, and had reluctantly to inform 

 our guests of the fact. Mac Kay took one glance at the sky 

 and was over the rail like a shot, followed by as many of his 

 people as could be collected at such short notice. In a 

 minute or two the warps were cast off, and the " Terra Nova " 

 was steaming for the open, where she was soon lost in the drift. 

 Since that it has been blowing very stiff, and a good deal of 

 ice has come down upon us ; but I have a pretty firm reliance 

 on our ground tackle — the anchor weighs over two tons, and 

 we have a fair drift of cable out. The wind is from the south, 

 and the sea, which has risen rapidly, is dashing over the ice- 

 bound land close astern, but we have not yet dragged. 

 Colbeck is on board with two officers and six men of the 

 "Terra Nova." I don't altogether like the look of things, 

 and shall get up steam as soon as possible ; but I don't want 

 to hurry the engine-room people, or we shall have all sorts of 

 trouble with our steam-pipes, &c.' 



^February 17. — We have had a day and no mistake ; I 

 hope I may never have such another. Early this morning the 

 wind lulled but the sky still wore a most threatening aspect, and 

 I sent word for steam as soon as it could possibly be raised. 

 At about 8 A.M. the " Morning " appeared out of the gloom and 

 sent a boat for Colbeck, who got away as quickly as he could. 

 He had scarcely reached his ship when the wind came down 

 on us again with redoubled fury, the sea got up like magic, 

 and soon the " Discovery " began to jerk at her cables in the 

 most alarming manner. I knew that in spite of our heavy 

 anchor the holding ground was poor, and I watched anxiously 

 to see if the ship dragged. 



' It came at last, just as Skelton sent a promise of steam in 

 half an hour. The sea was again breaking heavily on the ice- 

 foot astern and I walked up and down wondering which was 

 coming first, the steam or this wave-beaten cliff. It was not 

 a pleasant situation, as the distance grew shorter every minute, 

 until the spray of the breaking waves fell on our poop, and 



