GATES LAND 247 



Feb. 20, An adieu to Campbell's little party was hooted on 

 /9// * the syren and the Terra Nova steamed to the 



N.N.W., in a calm, but with a rapidly falling barome- 

 ter, to try and get round the pack that always extends north of 

 North Cape. 



Her orders were to explore to the west of North Cape as far 

 as the coal supply allowed. 



Six A.M. found her clear of the pack off the entrance to the 

 bay. All hands set to to clear up the decks, batten down and 

 prepare for bad weather, and it was well on in the forenoon be- 

 fore they were able to get any rest. By noon a strong wind was 

 blowing from E.S.E. and freshening, and the sea was beginning 

 to get up, so fires were banked and she was snugged down to 

 lower topsails. 



Blink appearing on the port hand, course was altered to north 

 to keep away from it, when snow obscured everything. 



At noon on the 2ist course was altered to W., and shortly 

 after the ship ran very close to an iceberg which showed us that 

 , the range of vision, estimated at half a mile for ice, 



1911, 68 41' was considerably less than had been thought. Dur- 

 S., 168*29' ing the afternoon she crossed Ross's track, the most 

 westerly track in this sea up to date. At midnight 

 steam was again put on the engines, the wind and sea having died 

 rapidly and the weather cleared. A sounding was taken in 1435 

 fathoms and course altered to the S.W. to close S. Victoria Land 

 again. 



Bruce in the afternoon watch picked up some snow-capped 

 mountains, and after this more peaks and lower land were quickly 

 Fb raised above the horizon, and a large number of ice- 



1911, 69 10' bergs appeared ahead. The ship was brought up by 

 S., 164 30' pack at 9 P.M. which stretched between her and the 

 shore and parallel to the coast, as far as could be 

 seen. 



Though several attempts had been made, no ship previously 

 had had the good fortune to get in sight of the coast west of 

 North Cape, so the luck of the Terra Nova was in this season. 



This new coast-line discovered by Lieutenant Pennell has 

 been christened Gates Land, after Captain L. E. G. Gates of the 

 Inniskilling Dragoons. 



The land was tantalisingly covered in cloud. Nothing could 



