32 British Antarctic Expedition. 
go down to the pier with its pilots lolling there on the 
seats on the look-out for ships to come and ships to 
go. One member of the expedition hangs behind— 
the mother has to say good-bye to her only boy in 
England—and we wait and wait on the landing, and 
we talk of home, of our hopes, and of home-coming. 
Everyone is as full of spirits as a cricket. 
* GOD-SPEED AND A SAFE RETURN." 
“The Southern Cross sounds her whistle again 
and again to tell the ‘boys’ to come aboard; at last 
there is a footfall on the pier. We are all present. 
The waterman says ' Now, gentlemen, please, and 
down the steps of the landing-stage in file they go. 
‘Shove her off the mud—keep her away, are the 
words. 'Good luck! Au revoir! Bon voyage!' 
we cry There is a dip of omis, thronom he 
reflections of the green, red and white lights of the 
