Farthest South. 283 
the ice-sheet suddenly took terrace shape, but it was 
always, so to speak, local; and the nature of the 
ice-sheet on the top was one immense unbroken flat, 
with a scarcely noticeable rising towards the south. 
With a sufficient number of reindeer, sledges and 
dogs, and a very small party of scientific men, I 
believe that a great southern latitude may be reached 
on this ice-sheet in the proper longitude. 
Undoubtedly a vessel bound for Victoria Land 
and having no geographical work similar to that I had 
CAPE CROZIER. 
to do about the vicinity of Balleny or westward of it, 
ought, in my opinion, not to proceed southwards 
westward of 170? long. E. November and December 
I think the time when an expedition vessel ought to 
approach the Antarctic ice-pack. Near Victoria Land 
a general break-up of the ice does not take place 
before the end of January; and I do not think that, 
under normal conditions as a rule, a vessel would 
succeed in reaching Victoria Land much before the 
beginning of February. 
I regard the success of Sir James Clark Ross, 
