5 8 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [FEBRUART 



It was interesting to note that while the eastern side of the 

 bay was clean cut, the western side was much weather worn and 

 honeycombed with caves, evidently worn by the strong westerly 

 current which sweeps along the Barrier. We saw two narrow 

 inlets opening N.E. but not wide enough to trust the ship in; 

 moreover as they open in this direction they are more liable to 

 be blocked by any loose ice drifting in. 



In the afternoon the weather cleared and we were able 

 to get sights, showing we were still to the eastward of Balloon 

 Bight. By 9 A.M. we were off the place where Balloon Bight 

 should have been, and our sights put us south of the old Barrier 

 edge. There was no doubt about it; Balloon Bight had gone. 

 By midnight we were off Shackleton's Bay of Whales. On 

 rounding the eastern point our surprise can be imagined when 

 we saw a ship, which I recognised as the Fram, made fast along- 

 side the sea ice. 



Standing in, we made fast a little way ahead of her and 

 hoisted our colours, she answering with the Norwegian ensign. 

 There was no doubt it was Captain Amundsen. 



Pennell and I immediately went on board and saw Lieutenant 

 Neilsen, who was in command. He told us Amundsen was up 

 at the camp about three miles in, over the sea ice, but would 

 be down about 9 o'clock, and accordingly soon after 9 I returned 

 on board and saw Amundsen, who told me his plans. He had 

 been here since January 4, after a good passage, having been 

 held only four days in the pack. He had intended wintering 

 at Balloon Bight, but on finding that had gone, had fixed on 

 the Bay of Whales as the best place. 



He asked me to come up and see his camp, so Pennell, 

 Levick and I went up, and found he had erected his hut on the 

 Barrier, about 3 miles from the coast. The camp presented a 

 very workmanlike appearance, with a good sized hut containing 

 a kitchen and living room with a double tier of bunks round 

 the walls, while outside several tents were up and 116 fine 

 Greenland dogs picketed round. 



His party besides himself consisted of Johansen, who was 

 with Dr. Nansen in his famous sledge journey of '97, and seven 

 others. After coffee and a walk round the camp Amundsen 

 and two others returned with us and had lunch in the Terra 

 Nova. 



