52 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Dec. 



cloudless day, with a clear view to the west ; the coastal ice-cape 

 again obscured our view of the higher ranges behind, but now 

 it rose to a more considerable altitude, being at least three or 

 four thousand feet above our level ; it undulated in long 

 sweeping curves, with here and there a black jagged outcrop 

 of rock, and elsewhere a steep crevassed fall. Our track had 

 been taking us close to the coast, and as we had skirted along, 

 past pointed snow-capes and rocky headlands, we had gradually 

 blocked out the remarkable tabular and pyramidal mountains 

 which had been abreast of us a week before; behind us 

 also we had left the sharp conical peak which had been our 

 principal landmark for many days. 



When, far to the north, we had first seen this mountain, 

 we had exaggerated both height and distance, and when things 

 had gone badly with us we had wondered if our fortunes would 

 ever allow us to pass it. On Christmas Day, however, we were 

 abreast of it, and though I calculated its height to be under 

 seven thousand feet, this was no mean altitude for so remark- 

 able a peak. Since in preserving its uniform, sharp, conical 

 appearance, it was still the most salient feature in our view, we 

 dubbed it ' Christmas Mountain ' in honour of the day. We 

 passed within eighteen miles of it, according to my calculations, 

 and by the 26th it was ' abaft the beam.' Whilst still retaining 

 its pointed appearance, it seemed from this new aspect to have 

 assumed a certain resemblance to the higher pyramidal hills of 

 the north. 



Perhaps the most interesting part of our view just at this 

 time was the coastline itself. We were from eight to ten miles 

 from it, and at such a distance one could see very distinctly in 

 that clear air ; it was comparatively steep all along — that is to 

 say, the undulating ice-cap fell gradually to a height of one or 

 two thousand feet and then abruptly to the barrier level. In a 

 few places this fall was taken by steep but comparatively 

 smooth snow-slopes, in others the snow seemed to pour over in 

 beautiful cascades of immense ice-blocks, and in others, again, 

 the coast was fringed by huge perpendicular cliffs of bare rock. 

 On this day we were abreast of the highest cliffs we had seen, 



