i9"l A STORM 261 



of the ship reaching Granite Harbour and so had beaten a retreat 

 south over the piedmont. His specimens he had been compelled 

 to leave in a depot at Granite Harbour. 



Shortly after they were picked up it came on to snow and 

 blow. Owing to the weather it was impossible to land this party 

 Feb 7 at Cape Evans, so the ship turned north to pick up 



1912, 75 Campbell's team. Course was shaped direct for the 

 27'^ S., 166 extreme of the Drygalski Barrier, and the ship ran, 

 with considerable pack to the east of her and loose 

 pack in shore, until heavy ice ahead forced her to turn back on 

 her course some twelve miles and then work through the eastern 

 belt of pack. 



The following extract is from the ship's journal: 



' Following the edge of the pack north, it was seen to be very 

 heavy and the blink gave no sign of open water inside it until 

 the ship was east by north thirty-five miles from the end of the 

 Drygalski, when there was a belt of pack some two miles 

 broad and clear water inside, at any rate for some distance: 

 this belt was entered at 2.30 P.M., and it shows the heaviness 

 of the ice that she was not clear till past 9 o'clock (a speed of 

 a third of a knot), although it was comparatively loose-looking 

 pack. 



'The wind was rising as she worked through this strip of pack, 

 and soon after it came on to snow heavily. Nothing could be 

 done but to remain under easy steam, to avoid the floes, if pos- 

 sible, and look out for bergs. Before midnight it was blowing 

 storm force and objects were visible at only a few hundred 

 yards.' 



The storm continued for two days, the latter half without 

 snow, when Mount Melbourne showed up in great beauty. 



The open water the ship was in was about six miles broad, 

 and though across the pack another lead (or possibly open 

 water) could be seen, five miles or so distant, yet it was absolutely 

 out of her reach. 



The wind was steady in direction from the south-west, and 

 the whole pack and ship drifted slowly but surely north until it 

 became imperative to regain the open sea to avoid being caught 

 in the cul-de-sac of Lady Newnes Bay. 



Fortunately the retreat was open and the wind fair for tak- 

 ing it, and so on the 2ist the ship had regained her freedom of 



