204 British Antarctic Expedition. 
which exceeded over ninety miles an hour. The 
gales naturally checked to a considerable degree the 
progress of sledge expeditions in Victoria Land in 
the vicinity of Cape Adare, where such meteorological 
conditions ruled. Nearly all the provisions had to be 
brought on sledges, as little bird life is seen beyond 
the coast-line, and the frequent gales will always 
necessitate a great percentage of idle camping days, 
when much of the provisions for the inland journey 
EUDYPTES ADELIAE ON THE ICE. 
will be eaten without a corresponding distance having 
been travelled. According to our meteorological 
observations, no one ought, in my opinion, to start a 
sledge journey in those latitudes without taking into 
consideration the likelihood of getting at least 20 
per cent. of checking gales. We had not here those 
aids which are found in the north, not the Arctic 
fauna, such as bears, foxes, musk-oxen and reindeer ; 
here within the Antarctic Circle life depends entirely 
upon a careful selection of the necessary provisions, 
