374 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 
winds. This made our progress slow, but the fine weather 
more than compensated for that. 
Rennick sounded twice a day while on the New Zealand 
continental shelf and once a day afterwards, except for 
two and a half days round about Christmas, when the 
weather prevented this work being done. 
The motor now worked without a hitch ; without it 
the necessity of crossing the Southern Sea quickly, so 
as to save the animals, would have allowed very few 
soundings to be taken. The smooth sea also allowed 
the mules to be moved in their stalls, so that the stables 
could be properly cleaned out and thoroughly disinfected. 
The Sunday before Christmas, just as we were going 
to lunch. Nigger, the cat, fell overboard. He had been 
Dec. 24, baiting the dogs on the poop, got uncomfort- 
39^^5 ^178° ^bty close to one and, jumping to avoid the 
39' w. dog, went overboard. Fortunately it was 
an exceptionally calm day ; the sea boat was lowered, 
and Nigger, who swam pluckily, was picked up and 
the ship on her course again twelve minutes after the 
accident. He was quite benumbed with the cold, but 
was taken down to the engine-room and well dried, given 
a little brandy to drink, and by the evening was all right 
again. 
The first berg was passed on Christmas Day in 61° 31' S., 
and the first belt of pack on the 26th in 63° 59^ S. It 
Dec. 26, was not, however, till the following evening 
^^r^^^ o that the real pack was met, and in the dog 
31 s.y 173° . 
23' W. watches of the 28th it began to get heavy, 
eventually holding the ship up at i a.m. that night. 
