I9Q4] BALLENY ISLANDS 287 



as there were no signs of her at 4 a.m. I determined to go 

 about. The wind had fallen light, but there was a heavy sea 

 running, and it was a good half-hour before we could wear the 

 ship round. We have been standing due west all day about 

 latitude 67^ ; the glass has been rising, the wind dropping and 

 the ship kicking about most unmercifully. We passed a few 

 bergs, mostly small and flat-topped ; the seas were breaking 

 over them, dashing the spray to a height of 200 or 300 feet. 

 I fear there is no chance of seeing the " Terra Nova " again 

 until we reach the rendezvous.' 



' March 1. — Last night we got amongst a number of bergs 

 and some loose streams of pack, so we hove-to and kept a 

 sharp look-out ; at four o'clock we got under way again with 

 steam and proceeded steadily to the west. The weather has 

 been thick, with an overcast, gloomy sky, and we have had a 

 light breeze from the north ; there has been a steady ice-blink 

 on our lee, sometimes appearing ahead, to be quickly followed 

 by sight of a loose stream of pack. There can be no doubt 

 that since leaving Victoria Land we have been skirting a con- 

 tinuous mass of pack which must cover the whole sea south of 

 the Balleny Islands. 



' That it should have lain so far to the eastward this year 

 is very annoying ; however, if we can push on upon this course 

 we ought to strike the islands. Birds have been plentiful all 

 day, but to-night the albatrosses have left us; snow petrels, 

 Antarctic and fulmar petrels are our constant companions, and 

 this afternoon we had the very unusual sight of a small flock 

 of black-headed terns. We have also passed two or three sea 

 leopards asleep on the floes : one we surprised greatly by 

 ramming the floe on which he was taking his siesta, whereat he 

 opened his formidable jaws and threatened us in the most 

 ferocious manner.' 



'■March 2. — ... Land was reported at 5 a.m., and on 

 the port bow we could see black rock showing streakily through 

 the mist. By 7.30 we were close up, and found on our port 

 bow an island of considerable size. Our course took us just 

 to the northward of its steep northern extremity. The general 



