i9] AN INCOMPARABLE SCENE 17 



tides of bergs, perhaps nearly one-half the number tabular, but 

 the rest worn and fantastic. 



The sky has been wonderful, with every form of cloud in 

 every condition of light and shade; the sun has continually ap- 

 peared through breaks in the cloudy heavens from time to time, 

 brilliantly illuminating some field of pack, some steep-walled 

 berg, or some patch of bluest sea. So sunlight and shadow have 

 chased each other across our scene. To-night there is little or 

 no swell the ship is on an even keel, steady, save for the occa- 

 sional shocks on striking ice. 



It is difficult to express the sense of relief this steadiness gives 

 after our storm-tossed passage. One can only imagine the relief 

 and comfort afforded to the ponies, but the dogs are visibly 

 cheered and the human element is full of gaiety. The voyage 

 seems full of promise in spite of the imminence of delay. 



If the pack becomes thick I shall certainly put the fires out 

 and wait for it to open. I do not think it ought to remain close 

 for long in this meridian. To-night we must be beyond the 66th 

 parallel. 



Saturday, December 10. Dead Reckoning 66 38'. Long. 

 178 47'. Made good S. 17 W. 94. C. Crozier 688'. Stayed 

 on deck till midnight. The sun just dipped below the southern 

 horizon. The scene was incomparable. The northern sky was 

 gloriously rosy and reflected in the calm sea between the ice, 

 which varied from burnished copper to salmon pink; bergs and 

 pack to the north had a pale greenish hue with deep purple 

 shadows, the sky shaded to saffron and pale green. We gazed 

 long at these beautiful effects. The ship made through leads 

 during the night; morning found us pretty well at the end of the 

 open water. We stopped to water ship from a nice hummocky 

 floe. We made about 8 tons of water. Rennick took a sounding, 

 i960 fathoms; the tube brought up two small lumps of volcanic 

 lava with the usual globigerina ooze. 



Wilson shot a number of Antarctic petrel and snowy petrel. 

 Nelson got some crustaceans and other beasts with a vertical tow 

 net, and got a water sample and temperatures at 400 metres. 

 The water was warmer at that depth. About 1.30 we proceeded 

 at first through fairly easy pack, then in amongst very heavy old 

 floes grouped about a big berg; we shot out of this and made 

 a detour, getting easier going; but though the floes were less 



VOL. I C 



