262 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [FEBRUARY 



Feb. 21, action, but was no nearer relieving Campbell. That 



*9 ta >7j> , evening the storm eased down and course was again 

 E. shaped for the Drygalski Barrier, with the hope that 



the ice which had previously barred her way might 

 have drifted past the end of the Barrier. The pack (now on the 

 starboard hand) was followed south as closely as possible, though 

 snow often shut in everything to a ship's length and compelled 

 her to stop till it was clear enough again to see where she was 

 going. Gradually she was able to alter more to the west and 

 north of west, until in the middle watch (23rd) she had rounded 

 the southern end of the pack, some 20 miles south of the Dry- 

 galski Barrier, and was steering north through light pancake ice 

 with, of course, the heavy pack again to the eastward of her. 

 The pancake ice gradually became heavier, but she was able to 

 make two or three knots at sixty revolutions. 



Tempted on by what appeared to be water sky ahead, she 

 rather unexpectedly came to a dead stop about 4 A.M. and could 

 ,, , not even go astern in her wake, as the pack east of 



1912, 75 43' her was pressing in towards the coast and so consoli- 

 S., i6f 20' dating the pancake ice she was in. At the same time 

 the weather cleared and showed the extremity of the 

 Drygalski Barrier to be fifteen miles due north. The water sky 

 proved to be a myth. 



After six hours the pressure eased and the Terra Nova was 

 able to turn, taking, however, four hours' struggle to do so, and 

 it took another twenty-six hours to escape from the ice which, 

 on the day before, she had taken three hours to pass through. 

 The alternative of leaving the ship in the ice and letting her drift 

 with it past the Barrier was too dangerous to be more than 

 thought of and cast aside, owing to the probable severe pressure 

 that would be encountered while passing the Barrier itself. 



The ship immediately proceeded to Cape Evans in order to 

 report and to embark those going home, as it was probable that 

 she would have to spend the remainder of her time trying to 

 relieve Campbell. 



As far as Cape Bird the ship passed through sea covered with 

 pancake ice, and Ponting was able to get some very interesting 

 photos of it in different stages of growth. Fortunately this ice 

 only reduced her speed by about two knots. 



After passing Cape Bird a strong southerly wind sprang up, 



