366 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [March 
position, with its snout resting on the floe. The men 
amused themselves by pelting it with little bits of coal 
and other missiles, of which it appeared to be entirely 
unconscious. The grooves on their throats were plainly 
seen, quite clearly enough to count accurately ; and 
sometimes even their moustaches could be distinctly 
made out, as also the white band on the flipper. 
Fortunately (or unfortunately) the whale gun was 
out of action, and so there was no necessity to try and 
March 4, procure a specimen for biological purposes. 
5^^ ^16^0^° 47' Whales kept close to the ship till noon on 
^- the 4th, when, the pack having eased up, 
steam was again put on the engines and she was able 
to make appreciable way. 
The ship passed only some ten miles west of Young 
Island (one of the Balleny Group), but although it was 
March 5, a sunny day all the Balleny Islands were 
1911, 66 37 clouds, and no useful bearings 
5., i6i* 42 ' o 
could be taken. 
At last, on March 8, when in 64° 23' S., 161° 39' E., 
she cleared the last of the pack, and in half an hour sooty 
albatross were round the ship, a sure sign that no pack 
was north of her. 
The next fortnight was a struggle for the ship to keep 
to windward, the wind obstinately holding to the north 
side of west and generally blowing hard. Although so 
light, she was much stiffer than expected. 
To the seaman of the present day used to iron ships 
it is a never-failing source of surprise and delight to see 
a wooden ship in a heavy sea. How nicely she rides 
