i 9 02] PUZZLING ICE-FORMATIONS 283 



deck when the temperature is falling. Amidst the sharp 

 crackling of the rigging which always accompanies this 

 condition, there is occasionally a loud report like the fall of 

 some heavy weight. In whatever cabin one may be, it seems 

 to be immediately overhead. Again and again we have dashed 

 on deck to discover the cause, but always without result. It is 

 so uncanny that we now feel confident that it is the manifesta- 

 tion of our own particular ghost.' 



' August 12. — Another blizzard, so thick that one cannot 

 see one's hand before one's face. Two days ago we had 

 almost cleared the snow from off the boats j now they will be 

 completely covered again. No one goes out on these occasions ; 

 the drifting snow has very much the effect of a sandblast — it 

 positively pricks the skin and brings frost-bites with alarming 

 rapidity. Though it is now moderately light at noon, we could 

 see nothing to-day but a whitening of the whirling cloud about 

 us. The dogs, whose kennels were likely to be drifted up, 

 were brought on board early in the storm ; they are generally 

 rather sad and subdued on such occasions, and can be safely 

 huddled together without fear of a fight, always excepting the 

 redoubtable " Nigger," who is given a corner to himself. With 

 him action follows so quickly on thought, and is so im- 

 mediately effective, that it is considered advisable to take no 

 risks.' 



'August 13. — . . . Walked to-day round the cape to 

 Pram Point ; it is between three and four miles from the ship, 

 and is a spot that has been visited by us often throughout the 

 winter. A little beyond this point lies the limiting line up to 

 which the sea-ice broke away in the autumn, and consequently 

 on the farther side of this line lies ice of an unknown age 

 whose surface gradually rises to the level of the barrier, 

 whereas on the near side the ice is all of recent formation. 

 The centre of interest lies in the ridges which have formed and 

 are continuing to form in this region. The coastline beyond 

 the point runs towards Erebus, only slightly curving, and 

 fringed with steep ice-cliffs and crevassed slopes. 



1 The ridges in the ice are parallel to each other and to the 



