12 Recent Antarctic Exploration 



evidence of the "Discovery" and that of the "Erebus"' and 

 " Terror " regarding the determination of geographical posi- 

 tions, we have no hesitation in abiding by those fixed by 

 Sir James Ross and his consort. 

 Captain Scott writes (vol. i. 171) : 



" Already there was a strong case against the Parry Mountains ; and 

 later we knew with absolute certainty that they did not exist ; it is diffi- 

 cult to understand what can have led such a cautious and trustworthy 

 observer as Ross to make such an error. I am inclined to think that, in 

 exaggerating the height of the barrier in this region., he was led to suppose 

 that anything seen over it at a distance must necessarily be of very great 

 altitude ; but, whatever the cause, the fact shows again how deceptive 

 appearances may be and how easily errors may arise. In fact, as I have 

 said before, one cannot always afford to trust the evidence of one's 

 own eyes." 



As the height of Ross' mast-head would be at least 

 140 feet above the water, there can be no suspicion of over- 

 estimation when he gives the height of the Barrier as from 

 1 50 to 200 feet. The observation of the " Discovery " that 

 the edge of the Barrier on the west lies further south than it 

 did in Ross' time confirms that made on board the " Southern 

 Cross " ; and the estimates of these two expeditions agree in 

 making its height from 60 to 70 feet. It is obvious that, if 

 twenty miles of the ice have disappeared, the first part to go 

 would be the cliff which Ross surveyed in 1841 ; and the 

 belief which Captain Scott expresses, that Sir James Ross 

 over-estimated its height, cannot be founded on direct obser- 

 vation. The only legitimate conclusion which can be drawn 

 from these facts is that the Barrier ice-sheet in this region 

 at the present day has such a thickness, or is otherwise so 

 circumstanced, that it exposes above water a cliff having a 

 height of not more than 60 or 70 feet ; whereas, in the year 

 1841, when it extended some twenty miles farther out to sea, 

 it exposed a cliff of from 1 50 to 200 feet in height. 



The distance from Cape Crozier to the nearest point on 

 the 79th parallel is 90 geographical miles. Captain Scott 

 often remarks on the visibility in these regions of very distant 

 mountain-peaks, e.g. on his first view of the Admiralty range 

 at a distance of over 100 miles, and again when he saw at one 



