Chap. X.] A GALE AMONG THE ICEBERGS. 217 



ahead, but the " Challenger " was not strengthened for ice 

 work, and we were not ordered to proceed further south, so we 

 turned back. There seemed to be a deep opening in the pack 

 here, nearly due south of Heard Island. We subsequently 

 passed within six miles of what is marked on maps as Wilkes' 

 Termination Land, and found that this did not exist. Wilkes 

 no doubt was deceived by the land-like appearance of distant 

 icebergs. It is to be noted that he merely says that he saw 

 appearance of land here, sixty miles distant, but high and 

 mountainous. Others have named it for him and placed it on 

 the charts. 



On two occasions, whilst amongst the southern ice, our ship 

 was in some little danger, having to ride through heavy gales 

 of wind amongst numerous icebergs in thick weather. 



On the morning of February 24th there was a fresh breeze, 

 in which we sounded in 1,300 fathoms, and attempted to 

 dredge, but the ship drifted so fast before the wind, that the 

 dredge did not reach the bottom. The wind became fresher 

 and fresher, and the barometer sank to 28°-5o. The atmo- 

 spheric pressure is, however, for some reason, normally low in 

 the Antarctic regions, and Ross once observed it as low as 



28°-35- 



Before long it blew a gale, with dry powdery drifting snow, 

 obscuring the view and rendering it impossible to see for a 

 greater distance than 200 or 300 yards. The thermometer sank 

 to 21° F., the lowest reading which occurred during the cruise. 

 Before the weather became very bad we steamed up under the 

 lee of a small sloping berg, with the intention of making fast to 

 it if possible by means of ice anchors. 



This was found impracticable, the slope being too steep to 

 allow of men dropping on to it from the end of the jibboom, 

 as had been intended. The ship was then placed under the 

 lee of the berg, with the view of facilitating the reefing 

 of top sails, as a preparation for the coming gale. Either a 

 back current set the ship on to the berg, or the berg itself 

 was drifting towards us with the wind more rapidly than was 

 expected. A collision ensued, and the jibboom was forced 

 against the side of the berg and broken, together with some 

 parts of the rigging in connection with it. 



The end of the jibboom left a star-like mark on the sloping 

 wall of the berg, but had no other effect on the mass. The 

 men who were aloft reefing the topsails, came down the back 

 stays helter-skelter, expecting the top-gallant masts to fall, but 

 no further damage ensued. 



As the weather becam.e worse we were in rather a critical 

 position. We were surrounded by bergs, with the weather so 



