310 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' 



being afloat for an almost indefinite distance to the south. But 

 had there been any doubt about the flotation of the present 

 Barrier edge, it must have been dispelled by the fact that 

 during our stay in the Balloon Inlet, although we had evidence of 

 considerable tidal movement, the ice rose and fell with the ship. 



We have so far proved, therefore, that the edge of the Great 

 Barrier ice-sheet is afloat, and since thirty miles of this floating 

 sheet have been broken away without altering this condition, 

 there is no reason for limiting the distance for which it 

 continues. 



Passing now to our southern journey, it remains to be 

 shown that, as I have stated, we travelled practically over a 

 level plain. Of this the gradual disappearance and reappear- 

 ance of land masses over a continually level horizon left little 

 doubt, but a yet clearer indication was the uniformity of the 

 barometric pressures. The aneroid readings were recorded 

 three or four times a day, and were frequently checked with 

 the hypsometer. On my return from the southern journey I 

 tabulated the readings on each half-degree of latitude, in com- 

 parison with simultaneous readings taken in the ship, applying 

 the necessary corrections. When an empirical correction for a 

 height of 250 feet is applied to the Barrier readings, the com- 

 parative differences are small, and if anything the Barrier read- 

 ings are the greater, showing a fall in level, or, what is more 

 probable, a rise in the barometric gradient. The following is 

 extracted from the table in question : 



