From Hobart to South Victoria Land. 57 
onwards, while the swell grew rapidly less as we 
successfully fought our way forwards into the inner 
ice-pack. Captain Jensen and myself took entire 
charge of this 
ісе naviga- 
tiom Great 
was the en- 
thusiasm 
amongstthose 
on board who 
saw Antarctic 
pack for the 
first time. 
To crawl 
up in. the 
crow’s nest at 
the top of the 
main-mast when you are dressed in Arctic fur and 
mittens on your hands is not so easily done as writing 
the description down. Whether the vessel at the 
time moves in a heavy swell, or is shaking under 
the pressure of the ice-screw, considerable caution 
must be used. All ropes and stays are covered with 
ice, your mittens stick to the ropes, and if care is not 
used you might lese your hold while the mittens are 
left sticking to the ropes. When you then try to 
avoid the danger by climbing without the mittens on, 
your hands get stiff and hard in a minute, and the 
chance of your dropping to the deck is greater than 
nob last approach to the crows nest is by 
a ladder running from the head of the under- 
mast outwards, and you literally hang on to the 
rungs of the ladder, suspended, as it were, in mid- 
ANXIOUS HOURS IN THE CROW’S NEST. 
