GODTHUL 31, 



We used three tents, two for sleeping and one for cooking, as it was found that the 

 moisture from the steam of cooking condensed inside and dripped, thereby annulling 

 the benefit of the warmth from the cookers. The waterproof sleeping-bag covers also 

 were not satisfactory, as there is no ventilation and the moisture condensed inside: 

 they are capable of improvement in this direction. 



It was during this survey that we experienced our first open-sea work, for we com- 

 bined the survey of Godthul with a coastal survey from Cape George to Barff Point 

 (Plate XLIII , fig. 4), a stretch of approximately 6 miles. This work entailed the exercise of 

 ingenuity in the measurement of a base and in scheming an adequate triangulation. 

 There was no flat ground whatsoever, and it was decided to stretch a spare piece of 

 sounding wire between two main stations and measure it by means of steel tape after- 

 wards. The wire was wound on a reel and set up aft in the 'Alert'. One end was then 

 sent ashore attached to a Salter's balance and secured to the first base; the 'Alert' was 

 then steamed to the second base and passed close alongside it keeping the wire taut, 

 which was easy as the wire floated on the top of the kelp, and had small floats at intervals, 

 and therefore remained straight. When the second base was exactly abeam, the wire was 

 marked, the balance read and the wire rewound. The ends of the base were on rocky 

 points near water level. On return to camp the wire was measured in sections several 

 times by means of a steel tape, keeping the same strain on it. A base of 2500 ft. was 

 measured with a probable error of less than 1/500. It is doubtful if a portable range- 

 finder, even had we possessed one, could have given better results. In practice the strain 

 was taken off when measuring wire after the first measurement, as it was realized that any 

 contraction would tend to neutralize errors due to the wire sagging. 



The triangulation difliculties were also of a practical nature and were due to the 

 precipitous coast and the constant swell rolling against it. The overcoming of the 

 difficulties was due largely to the courageous manner in which Mr O'Connor and one 

 or other of the seamen, Purvis, Briggs or Alsford, tackled the landings, carrying beacon 

 poles and flags, spun-yarn stays, stakes, theodolite and legs. All were necessarily heavily 

 dressed to be able to stand taking angles for hours in low temperature and exposed 

 situations, and were wearing sea-boots for landing. I have no hesitation in saying 

 that a slip on those slimy rocks — and they were all slimy with sea-weed — would have 

 meant immersion in icy cold water and almost certain death. Such landings were made 

 on numerous occasions, then and later. The pram was always used, and backed with her 

 square stern close to the rock; then, on top of the swell, here seldom less than 10 ft. 

 high, the first person would jump, then take the gear piece by piece from the second, 

 until finally the second could jump. Naturally the boat had to be handled very carefully 

 meanwhile. Our usual boatman was Briggs, who became very good at the work. This 

 was not the end of the adventure, since now would come the climb, heavily laden with 

 gear, up a rock sometimes almost vertical and from 30 to 100 ft. in height. Occasionally 

 the rocks were so steep that the gear had to be hauled up by means of spun-yarn. The 

 embarkation at the end of the business would be, if anything, even more hazardous, 

 entailing as it did climbing down (which is worse than climbing up), and jumping from 



