THE TERRA NOVA GOES SOUTH 69 



We learned from Gran that a knock-kneed man has the 

 advantage in ski-ing ; at any rate we had to keep our knees 

 together to counteract a tendency of the ski to spread. Gran 

 flapped along like an Atalanta on pattens, but beginners need 

 to go more cautiously, and not lift the ski at all. We made 

 a course all round the floe about three-quarters of a mile in 

 length, and several of us did five miles or so. It would have 

 amazed our friends at home to have seen us far south of the 

 Antarctic circle spending an hour on the ice clothed in nothing 

 but a thin vest and breeches. In this garb we were pleasantly 

 cool, but after returning to the ship a couple of thick jerseys 

 and a coat were soon donned. When I was half round the 

 third lap on the further side of the floe I heard a loud 

 snorting, and looked into the water to see a whale just sinking 

 out of sight about fifty feet away. Occasionally a seal would 

 put his head on the edge of the floe, and blow through his 

 nostrils at us before sinking gracefully beneath the ice. 



Sometimes we were not so fortunate in our ski-ing surface. 

 At our next block the floe was very mushy, and water imme- 

 diately oozed into a hole scraped an inch or two below the 

 surface. This did not matter much as far as ski-running 

 went ; I mean it was possible to cross it. But if one came 

 a "cropper," as was but too usual in our party of novices, the 

 sudden shock and decrease in the bearing surface resulted in 

 rather dangerous cracks, and in a dolorous soaking. Towards 

 evening the surfaces often hardened appreciably. Of course 

 the best section of ski-work — that of coasting down slopes — 

 was impossible on the floes. We tried to coast down little 

 hummocks, but I gave up this pastime after smashing my 

 ski-stick in a crevice covered with snow. 



Meares had out the dog-sledges on the large floe, and 

 harnessed eight of the dogs to the single rope-trace. They 

 pulled vigorously, and were guided solely by voice, " ka " 

 meaning " to the right," and " chui " " to the left." An 

 unlooked-for happening, however, spoilt their good record. 

 Cherry-Gerrard had caught two penguins, and was carrying 

 them to the ship, when the dogs caught sight of him, and 

 bolted for the penguins. Then might have been seen a noble 

 panorama : Dr. Wilson hanging on the rope ladder over the 

 deep water to receive the penguins, Cherry fleeing for his life, 

 the dogs tearing after him at their top speed, in spite of the 



