THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



There was now no time to be lost if we were to attempt 

 to complete our work. The season was far advanced, 

 and the condition of the ice was a matter for anxiety, 

 but I was most anxious to undertake exploration with 

 the ship to the eastward, towards Adehe Land, with 

 the idea of mapping the coast-line in that direction. 

 As soon as all the members of the expedition were on 

 board the Nimrod, therefore, I gave orders to steam 

 north, and in a very short time we were under way. 

 It was evident that the sea in our neighbourhood would 

 be frozen over before many hours had passed, and 

 although I had foreseen the possibility of having to 

 spend a second winter in the Antarctic when making 

 my arrangements, we were all very much disinclined 

 to face the long wait if it could be avoided. I wished 

 first to round Cape Armitage and pick up the geological 

 specimens and gear that had been left at Pram Point, 

 but there was heavy ice coming out from the south, 

 and this meant imminent risk of the ship being caught 

 and perhaps " nipped." I decided to go into shelter 

 under Glacier Tongue in the little inlet on the north side 

 for a few hours, in the hope that the southern wind, that 

 was bringing out the ice, would cease and that we would 

 then be able to return and secure the specimens and gear. 

 This was about two o'clock on the morning of March 4, 

 and we members of the Southern Party turned in for a 

 much needed rest. 



At eight o'clock on the morning of the 4th we again 

 went down the sound. Young ice was forming over 

 the sea, which was now calm, the wind having entirely 

 dropped, and it was evident that we must be very quick 

 if we were to escape that year. We brought the Nimrod 

 right alongside the pressure ice at Pram Point, and I 

 pointed out the little depot on the hillside. Mackintosh 

 at once went off with a party of men to bring the gear 



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