io8 CAPTAIN COOK 



white birds and blue petrels. Cook sailed along 

 the edge of this curious expanse, in the hope of 

 finding a way through to the South. He and his 

 officers believed that ice formed in bays and 

 rivers, and that land must be near at hand and 

 would be found behind this great barrier. 



Before long the ships were enclosed in an ice- 

 field, from which they were only able to escape 

 thanks to a northerly wind which sprang up. 



Icicles hung on every side from the sails and 

 rigging, causing the hands of the sailors to bleed 

 as they worked them. 



During these weeks Cook tried to get round 

 the ice-field in order to reach the continent sit- 

 uated to the south of it. Dangers increased every 

 moment in the midst of these floating islands and 

 islets, which seemed to be increasing in number. 

 The Forsters never ceased to grumble at the cli- 

 mate and to declare that the southern summer 

 was one of Nature's jokes. However, they 

 killed several aquatic birds, chiefly blue petrels 

 and penguins. The sailors suffered terribly from 

 the cold. Cook, who watched with eager anx- 

 iety over the health of his men, made them 

 lengthen the sleeves of their vests with flannel, 

 and gave them also caps of the same material. 



As the supply of water was running low. Cook 

 had blocks of ice gathered, which, when thawed, 

 yielded excellent soft water. 



