122 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Jan. 



fine weather ; instead of the gales, thick weather, and snow- 

 storms which we had expected, since the heavy weather off 

 Coulman Island, we had daily enjoyed bright sunshine, cloud- 

 less skies, and calm seas. We could but hope such good 

 fortune would continue on our journey to the eastward. 



As we turned on the night of the 21st to push our way to 

 the open sea once more, we had a rather curious and exciting 

 adventure. Owing to some inexplicable wounds found on the 

 bodies of seals, it had been suggested that a land mammal 

 might exist in these regions, though hitherto unseen by man. 

 Most of us were incredulous of this theory, but on that night 

 we suddenly came on a floe covered with soft snow which bore 

 the impress of footprints wide apart and bearing every ap- 

 pearance of having been made by a large land animal. The 

 excitement was great, and observers with cameras were soon 

 over the side and breathlessly examining this strange spoor ; 

 but, alas ! it was soon detected that the impress was that of a 

 webbed foot, and gradually we came to the conclusion that 

 the footprints were those of a large giant petrel, and that their 

 distance apart was due to the fact that they had been made 

 when the bird, half-flying and half-walking, had been lazily 

 rising on the wing. Even the most imaginative had to concede 

 that we had not increased the prospect of finding a Polar bear 

 or any kindred animal in these inhospitable regions. Shortly 

 after midnight we reached the open water and shaped our 

 course to pass between Beaufort Island and the long snow 

 capes of Erebus. 



In the morning we stopped to sound and dredge in this 

 channel; we found a depth of 470 fathoms, but the fouling 

 of our trawl rendered our catch of sea beasts somewhat 

 disappointing. 



The volcanoes of Erebus and Terror lie west and east, 

 united by a high humped ridge ; to the N.W. of Erebus 

 extends the long and lofty Cape Bird, whilst to the N.E. of 

 Terror, the slopes, blistered with innumerable volcanic cones, 

 descend to the splendid basaltic cliffs of Cape Crozier. 



The northern face of this land is heavily glaciated, masses 



