i 9 o 3 ] OTHER JOURNEYS 223 



wearisome plain, and on a surface of such a nature as I de- 

 scribed in my own southern journey ; yet they marched steadily 

 on, and fully accomplished the main object for which they 

 were sent — a negative but highly important result. It was on 

 this journey also that a most interesting series of magnetic 

 observations were taken by Bernacchi, who carried with him 

 the Barrow dip circle, an especially delicate instrument. The 

 great value of these observations lies in the fact that they were 

 taken in positions which were free from all possible disturbance 

 either from casual iron or from land masses ; the positions 

 also run in a line which is almost directly away from the mag- 

 netic pole, and consequently the series is an invaluable aid 

 to mapping out the magnetic conditions of the whole of this 

 region. 



To Bernacchi belongs the credit of these observations, but 

 a certain amount of reflected glory must be allowed to those 

 who accompanied him, for whilst he wrestled with the usual 

 troubles of the observer within the tent, his companions had to 

 cool their heels outside ; and as they consented to do this 

 night after night for an hour or more, it may be considered 

 that they showed considerable practical sympathy with his 

 scientific aims. 



On December 10 Royds and his party arrived on board the 

 ship in an extremely famished state, but with the satisfaction 

 of having accomplished an exceedingly fine journey. 



Our sledging efforts of 1903 were not confined to the 

 longer journeys, for, as in the previous year, many shorter 

 trips were made. From October 12 Wilson was away for 

 more than three weeks to pay yet another visit to the Emperor 

 penguin rookery. It was on this occasion that he observed 

 the extraordinary manner in which these penguins migrated 

 with their young. It will be remembered that in the previous 

 year these birds had been found with very young chicks in 

 down, and that on a second visit, shortly after, all the chicks 

 had vanished, though it was evident that they could not have 

 been prepared to take to the water. Now this mystery was 

 explained. Soon after Wilson's arrival the ice began to break 



