THE SOUTHERN ICE-FIELDS 107 



regions, Cook issued his men trousers, jackets 

 and stockings of very warm cloth. Reckon- 

 ing rightly that they would be many weeks 

 without sighting land, he ordered that the most 

 economical use should be made of water, and 

 posted a sentry over the water-butt on the poop. 

 He himself washed in salt water, and everybody 

 was obliged to do the same. 



The vessels were shortly overtaken by a vio- 

 lent gale, and great waves swept their decks. 

 The cold became intense, and the sailors were 

 so affected by it that Cook increased their spirit 

 ration. 



On November loth icebergs appeared on the 

 horizon. One of these was so hidden by the fog 

 and falling snow that it was only a mile away 

 before they saw it. It was about fifty feet high 

 and half a mile round. It was flat-topped, and 

 the waves beat furiously against its perpendicu- 

 lar sides. 



Cook was compelled to sail very warily among 

 these enormous icebergs, which loomed up sud- 

 denly like giant spectres through the milky fog. 

 Great whales were seen in the vicinity. 



On November 14th a large ice-floe appeared. 

 The travellers could not see the end of it, to 

 North or South. In various parts of the floe 

 were hills of ice resembling the floating bergs. 

 On drawing nearer they made out penguins, 



