43Q WITH SCOTT : THE SILVER LINING 



west) the sky was covered with gloomy clouds — several black 

 bows, which always mean squall-storms, being hideously 

 apparent ! White horses raced past the bows, and were all 

 one could see in the darkness. They looked just like 

 detached floes ! The whole time we had to clutch the bridge 

 rails to prevent our rolling down to leeward. 



" Then the sky got darker all over, the stars disappeared. 

 A sudden squall hit us, and then the shrouds started shrilling 

 and booming. The canvas screen on the bridge bulged in ; 

 your nose nearly blew off your face if you looked over it, 

 while the canvas made eddies which deflected the wind into 

 your face. 



" The ship plunged forward into the black, sometimes 

 partially righting, but mostly lying over at 30 . Then the 

 black squall passed (in about ten minutes) and a patch of 

 clear sky showed to windward. Another squall-bow appeared, 

 and we were battered and driven over again. This lasted 

 longer, about twenty minutes. Penelope asked me to go to 

 the standard compass (near the foremast) to check the 

 steersman. I got the electric torch and managed to crawl 

 on to the ice house which supports the compass. Up a silly 

 little ladder with no grip, and in flapping oilskins to find 

 Rennick there before me. Then I had to crawl round and 

 see that the helmsman was keeping his course. I clutched at 

 his screen-posts and wondered if they would blow overboard 

 next gust. (The screen went over next day !) About 10.40 

 a thick black cloud enveloped the horizon to the west and 

 gradually reached us. This accompanied a squall where 

 nature fairly burst her bounds ! The sea was blown flat, and 

 the air filled with horizontal hurtling arrows of sleet and 

 water. I didn't know that wind could show such malig- 

 nancy ! Don't know how the storm-sails stood it, I suppose 

 because the rigging would do for a ship about twice this size ! 

 It was a snorter. Couldn't see more than a hundred feet, 

 though there was no snow in the air. Just solidified wind, I 

 guess. 



" If the sails had not held it would be called force 1 2 — 

 the maximum, as it is they are content with force 11. 

 Penelope said he enjoyed this sort of thing, but I can't say 

 I was thrilled with enthusiasm, and I preferred to be where 

 the hurricane force was not quite so obtrusively obvious ! So 



