1904J COALING 271 



we have suffered little damage. It is an eloquent testimony 

 to the solid structure of the ship.' 



When I subsequently came to compare the experiences of 

 the three ships during this long gale, I found that the com- 

 plete lulls, such as I have recorded, took place at different 

 times in their various localities ; and I have no doubt that by 

 this irregular action of the wind the waters of the Sound were 

 pressed down in some places and heaped up in others in a 

 manner that is well known in inland lakes. But, even when 

 all the physical facts are realised, the story of our grounding 

 and release remains a very extraordinary one. Rarely, if ever, 

 can a ship have appeared in such an uncomfortable plight as 

 ours to find herself free and safe within the space of an hour. 

 Such a sudden and complete relief of our distress seemed to 

 argue that we had been rather unnecessarily and foolishly 

 alarmed at our situation, but on looking back I remember 

 that we had no reason to expect that the forces of Nature 

 would so suddenly come to our rescue : the best we looked 

 for was a period of calm when we might lighten the ship and 

 attempt to drag her from her perilous position; and such a 

 prospect, with the weather thoroughly unsettled and the 

 season closing rapidly, was not hopeful. To be in ten feet of 

 water in a ship that draws fourteen feet cannot be a pleasant 

 position, nor can there be a doubt that the shocks which the 

 ' Discovery ' sustained would have very seriously damaged a 

 less stoutly built vessel. 



On the 1 8th the wind was still blowing strong, but had 

 gone round to the south-east, bringing smoother water in our 

 Sound, and now, as we were most anxious to complete our 

 coaling operations, I decided to seek shelter in the inlets of 

 the glacier tongue to the north. So at a comparatively early 

 hour we uprooted our ice-anchors and steered in that direc- 

 tion, closely followed by the ' Terra Nova.' In half an hour 

 we were passing close by Hut Point, and the small bay in 

 which we had spent such long months, but which had tendered 

 us such a treacherous farewell. As we sped along we looked 

 for the last time with almost affectionate regard on the scene 



